Devil Arts Online
by Greatazuredragon
Summary: We all know how far Kirito is willing to go to save Asuna, he would fight armies and challenge Gods if only that would mean her safety. Making a pact with a Devil was no exception, in her name he would even become one... Spread your wings and take flight! Let the legend of the BlackDevil begin!
1. Chapter 1 - Fall and Rebirth

**Author's notes: **

First and foremost, I would like to thank the author _**Gabriel blessing**__, _for if it wasn't for his story "Highschool SAO", it's a really good story I suggest you to read it, this work would probably never had come into existence.

Those who have read his work will immediately notice that the first chapters are heavily based in the beginning of "Highschool SAO", but as the story progresses the similarity will decrease more and more until finally stopping around chapter four.

Secondly, this will be a crossover of HighSchool DXD and SwordArtOnline, in which to save Asuna, Kirito makes a pact with Rias and joins her peerage.

The story will start after the "Volume 1 -Diabolus of the Old School Building" of DxD and the "Volume 4 -Fairy Dance" from SAO.

Thirdly, this will be my very first story, so criticism will be appreciated. As long as you explain why you think something should be changed with good reason, I'll try to listen.

Lastly: **I** **do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Fall and Rebirth**

'_How could it end like this?' _Kirigaya Kazuto, also known as Kirito the Black Swordsman, grimly thought as he stood watch next to a bed in a hospital room, cursing his own powerlessness.

After everything he had accomplished, all the challenges met and conquered, after diving into a whole new world, all just for the chance of saving her. After finally defeating all that stood in the way between them, succeeding against impossible odds and freeing her from her prison, it had all been for nothing, for Yuki Asuna, his beloved Flash, still laid unmoving in her hospital bed.

After conquering the WorldTree and defeating Sugo Nobuyuki in the world of ALfheim, freeing Asuna from the chains that had bound her, Kirito had immediately sought her in the real world.

But just as he met her for the first time in flesh and blood, just as he truly embraced her for the first time, just as everything seemed to be finally over, in that single moment of happiness, it happened. In but a single moment, his happiness, his entire world, was shattered.

For Nobuyuki, knowing that with the awakening of Asuna and the other three hundred SAO players he had imprisoned for his own selfish goals his own end was nigh, had sought to end the one he believe was the cause of his own downfall.

Barging into Asuna's hospital room to see her, the one who was supposed to be his betrothed, his gateway to a life of power and luxury, in the arms of the one who had made all his plans into nothing but dust, Nobuyuki charged, knife in hand, seeking to end the one who had crushed his plans into dust.

Seeing the danger coming to strike the back of the one she loved, Asuna found what strength was left in her limbs, weakened for years of inaction, and shoved Kirito away from the blade, taking the hit meant for him. Enraged Kirito disarmed and restrained Nobuyuki while the doctors tried to save Asuna's life.

After handing Nobuyuki to the police and waiting for what felt like an eternity outside the operation room, Kirito heard the news with dread. The damage of being stabbed in conjunction with her already weakened state had pushed Asuna into a coma.

Now standing by her side, incapable to do anything to save her, fearing that her life would end at any moment, before they could truly be together, before their lives could even begin, Kirito for the first time in all his life made a wish.

He wished with all his being that Asuna could get better, that he could see her smile once more, that he could embrace her and assure her that everything would be fine.

He wished with absolute fervor that there would be a way to save her, uncaring about dangers or consequences, for he would willingly sell his soul to the Devil himself just to see her open her eyes.

And in that moment, without him even noticing, a strange pamphlet that had laid forgotten in one of his jacket pockets started to shine with an out worldly red light.

An apparently ordinary pamphlet bearing what appeared to be an occult magic circle and a single phrase.

'May your wishes be granted.'

* * *

Peacefully drinking a cup of tea in the Occult Research Club clubroom Rias Gremory couldn't help but softly laugh at the antics of one of the newest members of her Peerage, Hyodou Issei.

Her dear [Pawn], who after failing, again, to make a contract with a human, was freaking out do to Kiba's good natured offer to help, having somehow convinced himself that the offer was in fact an attempt by her [Knight] to go out in a date with him, and so Issei was fervently trying to avoid him.

Watching Kiba tease her overenthusiastic new Peerage member Rias wondered exactly why Issei had reached that particular conclusion after hearing the offer for help, or why he even thought Kiba was homosexual in the first place.

With a small smile playing on her lips Rias decided that she probably would never know the answer to that particular question, but it was certainly entertaining to watch their antics.

Gracefully taking another sip of her tea Rias thought about the new perverted little brother that had joined her family.

Issei had really turned out to be quite the find, even if at first glance he looked like nothing more than a pervert. His determination to protect his friends no matter what and 'never say never' attitude, combined with his sacred gear [Boosted Gear] made him quite a dependable ally, and she was sure that, with the right training, the new adorable perverted little brother of her Peerage would one day become a force to be reckoned.

Her musings about her perverted [Pawn] were cut short when the magic circle in the center of the room started to react. Someone desired to form a contract and the level of the wish was so high that she herself was being summoned.

That was quite unusual, being a high class devil, it took a very powerful desire to call her forth and those desires were never mundane. Last time she was summoned was to find Issei dying in the floor after all.

Saying her farewells to her peerage Rias stepped through the glowing circle to find herself teleported to what looked like a hospital room. Looking around Rias braced herself, for she had a feeling this task would be heartbreaking, they usually were when she was summoned to such a place. Hearing a loud exclamation followed by the sound of a chair hitting the floor she focused on the one who had summoned her here.

The boy looked to be fifteen or maybe sixteen years old, with slightly long but neat black hair, black eyes as dark as midnight and an effeminate face. He also looked thin, far too thin to look healthy, like he was coming out of a long illness.

She noticed that as she had been taking his appearance the clearly distressed boy had moved himself to stand between her and a girl with long orange-brownish chestnut hair who was laying unconscious in the bed, as if to shield her with his body, she also noticed the girl was even thinner than the boy.

"Who are you?" the boy asked, looking unnerved but ready to act at the smallest action against the girl.

Rias couldn't help but allow a small smile to appear on her face at the fierce protectiveness that was clear on his tone. It was obvious that he deeply cared for the girl, especially if, as she suspected, his wish involved her.

"Greetings." She said smiling as she tried to calm the boy. "I am Rias Gremory. And I am a Devil."

* * *

'_He is taking this surprisingly well.'_ Rias thought with slight bemusement. _'Most first time clients would be either screaming and running away in panic or firmly denying my existence as a hallucination by now.'_

After explaining the situation to the boy, which was always a tricky situation with new clients, having to convince them that: yes she was a devil, yes she was real, no they were not going insane and no she wasn't after their souls.

'_Although the last isn't always true, sometimes depending on the wish and the human making it, the price could be their souls, but that's really rare and she had never done such a wish, but she was getting sidetracked.'_

"So you are a devil then," said the boy with growing understanding. As he watched the black flames dancing in her palm formed from the power of destruction that resided deep within her very being.

"And you can grant wishes, right?" He asked, a desperate hope entering his tone as he looked at the girl on the bed.

"For a price, yes." She said waiting for the fear and panic that always followed this statement and that she would have to placate. "The price varies according to the wish and the client making it. But if you pay the price and it's within my powers to do so, I shall grant your wish."

'_Why do first time contractors as a rule always think I'm after their souls? I even tell them that I'm not in my introduction speech, but they always go back to it anyway, human stereotypes concerning devils are truly annoying.'_ She thought, waiting for him to have his panic attack so they could proceed with the contract.

But to her surprise what appeared in the boys face was not fear, neither was it panic. For after one last look so full of longing to the girl in the bed that her heart ached, his face was filled with nothing but determination, so powerful, great and unbreakable that she knew that no matter the price, he would pay it in a heartbeat.

"Save her, and I shall pay whatever price you ask." He said with a certainty capable of shaking the very foundations of the earth, not the faintest trace of doubt on his eyes.

Approaching the bed to examine the girl more closely Rias took her appearance. She was extremely weak, her injuries and weakened body making it look as if a single touch could shatter her.

It was clear she would need extensive healing, and while normally performing such high level healing to a human would be extremely difficult, Rias knew someone in her Peerage that could make his wish possible.

"What are you doing?" the boy asked in concern, while a red circle appeared before her.

"Calling a friend." She answered with a smile, and in a flash they were no longer alone in the room.

"R-Rias-sama?" asked a small girl with long blonde hair and green eyes, her newest peerage member, Asia Argento, wielder of the Sacred Gear [Twilight Healing], a Sacred Gear capable of healing Humans, Angels, Fallen Angels and even Devils.

After explaining the situation to Asia, Rias stood back while Asia examined the girl in the bed.

"Will it work?" The boy asked, concern and hope obvious in his voice.

"Yes." Asia answered with a kind smile. "I've used my Sacred Gear in cases similar to her own and this condition is within my powers to heal, she should make a full recovery."

"Excellent" Rias nodded while smiling reassuringly. His look of utter relief made her fell almost bad for what she had to say next. "But before saving her we have to discuss the price."

Even if this was something she wouldn't mind doing, and even if she truly felt for this boy and his plight, she was still summoned here as a Devil to do a Devil's work and so it was necessary to demand payment.

"Name it." He said without a moment of hesitation, his eyes locked with hers, his face showing nothing but unflinching resolve.

"Just a moment," Rias smiled while she grabbed her cell phone, happy to see his conviction. "I just have to load my app…"

Rias had to hold a giggle at the boy's expression upon hearing her words; she was certain that if this had been an anime the boy would have just face-faulted to the ground.

"You see the price of the wish through a phone app…?" He asked, disbelief and incredulity evident in his voice as he gave her phone a dubious look.

"Of course! The Underworld likes to be progressive in such matters; this allows us to always place the correct price to a clients wish." She said like it was the most normal thing in the world, while holding her amusement from her voice.

Asia patted him sympathetically on the shoulder, a look of understanding on her face. "It surprised me too when I first saw it!"

The answer she received after inputting the wish into the app made her eyes widen in disbelief, her amusement immediately disappeared as she looked at the screen making sure she hadn't seen wrong.

"One more moment please." Rias asked while retyping the wish, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her mind, but the result was exactly the same.

"What is it?" asked the boy looking at her closely, fearing that there might be a problem. "No matter the price, I will pay…"

Rias looked at the boy seriously."The price for your wish is for you to be reincarnated as a Devil and join my Peerage."

"Join your Peerage?" he asked in confusion, clearly not understanding what was being asked.

"Ah" Asia said nervously, noticing Rias distress and taking up the explanation. "It means…"

As Asia explained to the boy what a Peerage was and what would be expected of him if he joined, Rias observed him intently, trying to understand the why of such an unusual price.

Not all people had the same worth and the price could vary greatly between two humans with the exact same wish, and while being asked to serve the Devil as payment for the wish was not that uncommon, it was usually reserved for people with extraordinary skills and talents, or someone who possessed a Sacred Gear, if someone like that made a wish of some magnitude, then serving the Devil who would grant said wish was usually the best price to be had for both parties.

But this effeminate looking boy before her was, to the best of her abilities to determine, completely ordinary.

He had no aura of strength, no hidden powers, no Sacred Gear and while his thin body had some muscles, it was far from the body of an athlete. He was just ordinary, and the thought that he might posses hidden talents or had done some heroic deed was practically zero.

Despite that the app used to judge a wish's worth had been developed by none other than Ajuka Beelzebub, developer of the Evil Piece system and one of the Four Great Satans and to this day it was never reported to have made a mistake.

She could do it. She still had two pieces left from her set, so she could reincarnate him, and she would admit that she was curious. What made this frail looking boy worth so much that the price for helping the girl was that he serve under her Peerage?

"Well?" she asked after Asia finished her explanation."Now that you know the price, are you still willing to make your wish?"

"Don't worry mister client. Rias is a really kind Devil and has taken great care of me ever since I became a member of her Peerage!" Asia immediately chimed in, trying to put his fears at ease.

He stood perfectly still, trying to find an answer to the matter at hand, conflict obvious in his eyes. The impasse lasted until his eyes drifted to the girl in the bed, the conflict immediately disappearing the moment his eyes rested upon her silent form.

"Do it." He said without a single trace of doubt in his voice, his eyes resolute. "I don't care if you're kind or cruel, a saint or a devil. If you can save her, I will willingly serve you for eternity; it's a cheap price for her life!"

"Good. You have strong eyes, firm and undaunted; your conviction will serve you well." Rias said approvingly, it didn't matter if he lacked in skill or power, she could always train him later. His willingness to sacrifice for the sake of another, to keep those dear to him safe no matter the cost, his desire to protect, was something that she as a Gremory deeply approved. He would make a fine brother for her Peerage."What is your name, you who seek to serve me?"

"Kirig…"he stopped as if thinking about something before apparently making a decision, resolve filling his form."Kirito my name is Kirito."

"Very well Kirito, let's grant your wish" Rias said, smiling while gesturing for Asia to heal the girl.

After the tense long negotiation and dramatic revelation of the price the task itself was over almost anticlimactically fast, with Asia's [Twilight Healing] reverting all the damage done to the girl's body.

"Ki…ri..to…kun?" She asked, her voice was barely a whisper but Kirito heard her as he immediately kneeled at her side, his hands grasping her own.

"It's over Asuna, it's finally over."He said while embracing her, tears in his eyes.

Rias smiled, touched by the young couples love. "Come Asia lets go find a doctor." she said guiding a teary eyed Asia out of the room, giving them a moment to themselves.

Later, after the doctors had marveled at Asuna's _miraculous_ healing and when she had fallen fast asleep holding Kiritos hand. Rias approached him, having already sent Asia home.

"Thank you." Kirito said without letting go of Asuna's hand, looking at Rias with eyes filled with gratitude and determination."For what you did I shall gladly serve you."

Rias was glad, she approved of his actions and mindset, he would be a great addition to the family of her Peerage. "Are you ready?"She asked with a smile.

Nodding in answer he let go of Asuna's hand and stood by her side, his eyes resolute.

Extending one hand holding a crimson chess piece that was shining in a brilliant red light, she said the ritual words of reincarnation.

"I order, in my name Rias Gremory. You, Kirito. I, resurrect you back to this soil as my servant, and have you reborn as a Devil, be delighted with your new life!"

And with those words the crimson piece floated to his chest and entered his body, a warm feeling enveloping him completely for a single moment before suddenly vanishing.

Kirigaya Kazuto, also known as Kirito, the Black Swordsman, the Beater, hero of the floating castle of Aincrad, had just been reborn as a devil.

* * *

**Authors notes:**

I hope this was a good enough effort for my first ever attempt at writing a story and that you enjoyed reading it.

And so Kirito's life as a devil begins. How will this change his life, how will it change Rias Peerage? Read and find out!

Please review before leaving.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Daily Life of a Devil

**Author's Notes:** Firstly I would like to thank everyone who reviewed, followed or favorite this story. Your support is truly appreciated.

Secondly some reviews expressed concern due to how similar some passages are with the "HighSchool SAO" story. The similarity was intentional; I asked permission to _**Gabriels Blessing**_ to use the hospital scene. For I thought it was a very good, and more importantly very realistic way to join the two series. But don't worry, that similarity only extends to the first chapter.

Although I guess I should have put this note in the first chapter in the first place. Hindsight truly is 20/20.

Finaly:** I don't own neither "HighSchool DxD" nor "SwordArtOnline".**

* * *

**The Daily Life of a Devil**

"Being a devil really wasn't what I expected," thought Kirigaya Kazuto as he laid in his bed in his new apartment just a few blocks away from Kuoh Academy. A former all-girls school that had just recently turned co-ed, and which he now was attending.

Just two days after making a pact with Rias and becoming a devil in order to save Asuna, Kirito received a letter saying his transfer to Kuoh Academy had been accepted and his accommodations in a small apartment near the campus were ready. Which was odd since he never applied to any transfer, but when he noticed that neither his mother, his sister, nor his school thought anything was wrong with that, he started to suspect that Rias, and some kind of demon ability, were involved.

He had no problem moving, he owed Rias after all, but a heads-up would have been nice. So after a celebration for Asunas recovery, that end up doubling has a farewell party for him, held in the Dicey Café which was owned by Agil, also known IRL as Andrew Gilbert Mills, he moved to his new school.

The party had been great, bringing forth many of his friends from SAO like Lisbeth and Silica, he even managed to introduce Asuna to his sister Kirigaya Suguha and her friend Nagata Shinichi, who after being explained how they had helped him to reach her in the world tree were thanked profusely, much to his sister embarrassment.

When he explained he was moving in order to attend a new school there were many found farewells, has well as a slightly disturbing episode where Klein started crying while saying some indefinable gibberish about growing up. It was fun, although he thought he had seen a strange look in Asunas eyes when the party was ending, but it was probably just his imagination.

Hearing someone knocking at the door, he got up to answer, while still thinking what a weird couples of days he had experienced after moving.

* * *

_***Flashback***_

It was a really good apartment, Kirito would admit that immediately. Having a bedroom, Bathroom, living room and Kitchen it was perfect for living. Especially after considering it was only three blocks away from Kuoh Academy.

He wondered why Rias wanted him to go to this particular school, but he hadn't seen her since the pact. Turning to the living room to finish unpacking he saw a redheaded girl sitting in his couch completely at ease. What was that saying again? Think of the devil…

"Hello Kirirto-kun!" Rias said chirpily. "Are your new accommodations to your liking?"

"Yes, they are very good Rias, but you could have warned me about moving you know?" Rias look of mild concern and dawning realization didn't fool him for a second, her eyes were shining with amusement.

"Oh my! I should have done that, shouldn't I?" yup, she was definitely enjoying this. "Oh well, I came to make sure everything was alright. I shall see you tomorrow at school. I will ask for a member of my club to show you around." And with an energetic wave of her hand she disappeared inside a red circle.

Letting out a sight Kirito moved on to finish organizing his things, he knew this would be a tiring week, especially now that his suspicion that Rias was a tease had been confirmed. And what kind of school club was frequented by devils?

* * *

Hyodou Issei was a man with a mission, Rias asked him to show the new member of the peerage, which would transfer to his class, around school and bring him to the clubroom later. He would not fail her! He would accomplish this task and be one step closer to his dream of being a Harem King!

"Attention class!" The professor said stopping Issei's inner monologue."We have a new transfer student, I would like you all to help him adapt and feel welcome to the class. Please come in Kirigaya-san."

Yes this was it, thought Issei as the class door opened. He would not fail! He would make Rias proud! He would achieve his dream! He would…brutally murder the damned pretty boy who had just entered and had the undivided attention of all girls in class!

"Im Kirigaya Kazuto, my hobbies are programming and VR games, please treat me well." Said the thrice damned pretty boy while bowing. Issei was already hearing some of the girls in class saying something about a second prince of the academy and commenting about his good looks.

Why?! Why was the world so cruel?! Ever since he entered this academy the only girl who showed interest in him was a psychotic fallen angel who stabbed him in the gut, but he had all the girls fawning over him in less than a minute?! Why are you so cruel God?! Wh… OUCH!

"Please take a sit next to Hyodou-san if you please" said the professor pointing to a young man who had been looking at him with a weird expression before suddenly grabbing his own head, like he suddenly had a major headache. "And Hyoudou-san, please show Kirigaya-san the school grounds later."

Taking a seat Kirito proceed to watch the professor explain the lesson plan for the semester without noticing the girls who kept throwing him glances or sending glares in Isseis direction.

* * *

Alright, he may have overreacted, Issei admitted to himself. After showing Kazuto-san most of the school he had to admit that he was a quiet but friendly guy who appeared to have a lackadaisical attitude. But that didn't mean he wouldn't curse his good looks! All pretty boys deserved to be cursed after-all!

Kirito for his part thought that his guide was quite entertaining. Issei was quite friendly and extroverted, always talking and gesticulating. But sometimes he simply reacted like he was listening or saying something that only he could hear, like right now, that he was nodding sagely to himself. Truly an interesting person.

"Alright Kazuto-san we should go now to the occult clubroom in the old school building. We can't leave Rias-Buchou waiting! She asked me to take you there to meet the rest of the peerage after-all."

Taken by surprised, Kirito examined Issei while following him. He would have never guessed Issei was a devil, he looked so normal! Then again, he thought with a rueful smirk in his face, so did he himself. And an occult club for devils? How ironic.

Climbing a set of stairs in the old school building, Kirito took a look at his new 'clubroom', there were some candles and skulls scattered around and what appeared to be a magic circle in the floor. All in all it looked like what he would expect from a occult club. There were several very comfortable looking couches, what appeared to be a small kitchen and… is that a shower?

"Yes, that is a shower. Glad you could join us Kirito-kun." Realizing he said that last thought out loud, Kirito tried to hide his embarrassment while looking at Rias who was looking at him with mirth in her eyes.

"Allow me to introduce you to the rest of the peerage. This is my [Queen] Akeno." She said gesturing to a young woman with a buxom figure with very long black hair and violet eyes, who was standing by her side. A kind smile in her face.

"My [Knight], Kiba." A handsome young man with short blonde hair and grey eyes who was laying against the wall, who politely nodded to him.

"My [Bishop], Asia." The blond girl who healed Asuna. He gave a thankful smile and a nod that she returned. While noticing that Issei was, for some reason, growling at him.

"Koneko, your fellow [Rook]."A petite girl around 15 years of age with white hair and hazel eyes who was absentmindedly eating cookies from a tray in the middle of the room.

"And of course, Issei my cute little [Pawn]." It was quite funny how quickly Isseis expression changed from anger to elation. Truly an entertaining person.

Stepping forward, Kirito introduced himself. "I'm Kirigaya Kazuto, but please call me Kirito. As the newest member of the Peerage I will be in your care. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"My, oh my, what a polite little kohai we have here." Akeno said with one hand before her face hiding a soft smile.

"No need to be so formal, it's a pleasure to meet you." Said Kiba while coming to shake my hand. While Asia smiled, Issei looked like he was trying to decide what expression to keep in his face and Koneko kept eating.

"Thanks. But Rias, what do you mean by fellow [Rook]?" I asked, curious about the titles she had distributed to everyone.

"Oh right I nearly forgot!" Rias said in a tone of voice that made me doubt that, I just knew she probably had been waiting for the most dramatic moment to make this explanation."You see…"

And so Rias explained about the ranking amidst devils and the special attributes of each class specific to each evil piece. Like mine, [Rook], which granted a major buff to offense and defense, allowing [Rooks] to do super human feats of strength and weather strong attacks.

She also explained how devils had to take quests to grant wishes so that we could take the payment and rise in both rank and power. But for me do so, I would have to first distribute pamphlets in order to enable said quests. Truly a strange way to level up, but I guess you can't just go grinding mobs IRL.

* * *

A couple of days had passed, and I had started a growing friendship with the rest of the peerage.

Kiba and Issei helped me to distribute my pamphlets. Kiba really was an upbeat and kind guy, the type of person who is always happy to help. We talked and got to know a little more about each other while distributing the pamphlets, but for some reason instead of joining in, Issei kept looking as if he was worried for me and kept his distance the whole time Kiba was near. Weird.

Asia was a little bashful around me, I guess she wasn't used to being praised. I was very thankful for her healing Asuna and expressed that clearly.

My relationship with Koneko was unusual, at least from the point of view of others. We barely talked, point in fact we exchange less than 10 words in a day. But we didn't need to, we both liked silence, naps and good food, you could say we were kindred spirits.

Although Akeno was always polite and kind, in fact some would say she was a perfect Yamato nadeshiko, there was something about her that put my senses in high alert. It was like her kind smile had some secret to it. Then again, I'm probably over thinking things again.

Rias was open and playful, and an unrepentant tease. But she clearly worried deeply for every club member and appeared to be a very tactical thinker. I couldn't help but think she would have made a good guild leader.

Finally the moment for my first quest was here, since it was my first quest Issei would accompany me. He was certainly hyped to do it if his expression was anything to go by.

Yes! Issei thought. After uncountable weeks of hard work, my days of running around town in an undignified manner are over! Rias said I finally have enough demonic power to use the teleportation circle! Yes, I'm one step closer to being the Harem King!

…Maybe he is a little too hyped, Kirito thought, while seeing Issei gazing at the distance, right fist clenched and raised in defiance, a resolute expression in his eyes and a single tear running down his face.

"Alright, good luck you two. Do your best to make a contract." Rias happily said while gesturing to the glowing circle.

Issei nodded and stepped through the circle. He would not fail! This was his first true milestone in his path! He would prove himself to Rias! He … recognized this place. Feeling a growing sense of dread he observed his surroundings, not even noticing when Kirito arrived next to him.

Bright pink walls, check; Fluffy pink curtains, check; TONS of magical girl themed stuff, check.

No, it couldn't be! Destiny would not be so cruel! He refused to believe this was…

"Issei-kun I'm so happy to see you again-nyou." Issei slowly turned his head to see who just spoke, knowing just what he would see."Mil-tan is so glad you could come-nyou."

There, standing in the door, blocking the only way out, was a massive man, sporting bulging muscles that looked capable of killing a tiger in a single punch, and wearing a pink, frilly magical girl outfit. It was no other than Mil-tan, a sparkly look in _her_ eyes and holding both hands clasped near _her_ heart and one leg raised, in a classical magical girl pose.

"We will have such a marvelous time together-nyou."

* * *

After reporting to Rias the success of the quest and getting the rest of the day off as a bonus for doing it right in his first time, Kirito proceeded to help a mildly catatonic Issei back home, before going to his own apartment.

Seeing the _Magical girl_ seemed to be quite the traumatic experience for Issei. Truth be told, Kirito himself had been mildly disturbed, but after surviving the 66th floor of Aincrad, it would take much more than that to take him down.

He couldn't stop a shiver when remembering that floor, aptly nicknamed by the clearers as _'Pink Hell'. _And in his personal opinion, definite proof Kayaba had gone completely insane.

Truly after fighting off hordes of killer bunnies and surviving nearly indestructible murderous teddy-bears, Mil-tan became only mildly disturbing. Especially after the boss battle. They lost an entire guild in that! Not that they died, no, there hadn't been any casualties, but the trauma of fighting 'Stela, The Love Guardian' had just been too much for them. Last he heard from Argo in the 73th floor, they were still holed up in their guild house and vehemently refusing to get out. Not that he blamed them, Stela was just… no there are things better left unsaid, even in one's own mind.

The client weirdness aside, this quest wasn't too bad. Mil-tan wanted to turn into a Magical Girl, but the price was too high. Not surprising, it would probably have to break a LOT of natural rules to do that. But when it looked like the quest would fail he had an idea.

Most VR games have lots of magic in them, and some like ALO permitted a lot of customization of the characters, the only rule was that you couldn't change your sex. So all Mil-tan had to do was wish for that rule to be removed and she could be a magical girl in game.

That was far simpler and so the price was far cheaper too, so Mil-tan happily agreed with the idea and signed the contract, ending the quest.

Kirito just prayed that Cardinal would have mercy of those subjected to the horror he just unleashed in ALO.

* * *

_***Flashback end***_

Rias wondered what could have happened to Issei in this contract. He looked extremely shocked while Kirito looked perfectly fine. Maybe it had been the emotion of finally completing a contract.

Her musings where cut short when the circle in the middle of the room started to give a fierce red glow.

Rias couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. She was being summoned. Such high level desires were supposedly quite rare, but here she was being summoned twice in less than a week. Even more perplexing, she was apparently being personally asked by the contractor, despite the fact it was a first timer.

Shoving her questions to the side Rias stepped through the circle to find herself in a nicely decorated bedroom and looking at the fierce eyes of a girl with long orange-brownish chestnut hair, a girl she recognized.

"Hello Rias-san, my name is Asuna, and I would like to make a contract." She said in a way that left no room for argument, her eyes speaking of a determination capable of piercing the heavens themselves if they stood in her way. Not giving her time to react Asuna continued. "I would like to stay by Kirito side forever."

Rias nearly sighted at the wish. It was quite a common wish amidst love-sick girls, but the price nearly always made such impossible. But she was someone precious to Kirito, and her determination was truly strong, so she would indulge her.

"Very well, just a moment while I check the price." Rias nearly giggled when she heard the stern looking girl mumbling something about owing Kirito an apology when she saw the phone app.

Her amusement instantly stopped when she saw the price. Redoing it two more times just to be certain. But the impossible price remained. "The price for your wish is to be reincarnate as a devil and join my peerage." Asunas elation at the price was palpable.

Thinking quickly Rias decided that there was something she was missing. Two apparently ordinary people, with no especial traits or talents, sharing a deep connection with one another, both receiving such an unbelievable price. There had to be something to explain that fact, maybe some past event in their life?

She took a closer look at the girl and was surprised at the fierce will and determination hidden beneath her ordinary exterior. While Kirito looked like a proud mountain, strong and patient, capable of weathering anything thrown his way. Asuna looked like a keen blade, edge sharpened to perfection and capable of cutting everything in her path.

Her questions aside, she would grant the girl her wish, her determination easily matched Kiritos. And quite frankly, Rias was a closet romantic, an eternal love featuring two new devils was something she just had to see. At the very least, aiding this young couple with their love story would be quite entertaining. And she knew just where to drop her after the wish, she thought with a smile in her face and amusement in her eyes.

* * *

Yup it had been a hectic couple of days, but also very interesting. Thought Kirito while opening the door.

"Hello what can I help you wit… Asuna what are you doing here?" For standing right in front of his apartment was no other than Asuna, traveling bag in hand and a smile so big in her face that it could only be categorized as 'the cat that got the canary'.

"I'm moving in of course!" She said jovially. "Since I'm the newest member of the peerage I will be looking forward for your help _sempai_!" Mirth in her eyes, she strolled into the apartment, leaving an open mouthed Kirito frozen by the door.

It took a few moments for his brain to reboot, but even when it did, judging by his response it was clearly nowhere near its full processing power. "W-What?!"

* * *

**Authors Note:** The reason I choose [Rook] for Kiritos piece was twofold:

Firstly while he had the fastest reaction time in SAO and his style relied heavily in speed, he also had great strength and most importantly an absurd level of endurance. The number of fights in which he fought until way past the dropping point is incredible, the Gleameyes, Nicholas the renegade, Heatcliff and General Eugene just to say a few. No matter what happens he endures and refuses to give up, and that endurance earned him the [Rook] piece and its absurd defense.

Secondly Asuna is definitely a [Knight]. With an attack speed most can't even comprehend, there are scenes in which _Kirito_ can't keep track of her attacks, and trusting exclusively in speed and skill to get trough fights, the vice commander of the _knights_ of blood earned the [knight] piece.

Fans of Xenovia and Roseweiss don't have to worry; they will feature in my story, only not in the same way as the original. Let's just say I have plans.

For those who don't know:

IRL means In Real Life

Yamato nadeshiko is a Japanese term meaning the "personification of an idealized Japanese woman"

Please Review before leaving.


	3. Chapter 3 - Gathering Storm

**Author's Notes:** Firstly I would like to thank everyone who followed, favorite or reviewed this story. The knowledge that so many people like it makes me work harder to improve.

Secondly, I have received some reviews speaking about grammar problems. I would like to explain that English is not my first language, and prior to this story the longest I had ever written something in English was a School paper for English class.

So mistakes will happen, but that doesn't mean I will not try to improve. I'll try to decrease the number of mistakes as I grow more used to writing. Thanks for the understanding.

Lastly: **I do not own SAO or HighSchool DxD**

* * *

**Gathering Storm**

While getting ready for another day at school, Kirito looked to his side, and upon seeing Asuna right next to him, finishing her own preparations, couldn't contain a happy smile from appearing on his face.

A week had already passed since Asuna's sudden appearance at his doorstep. After recovering from the initial shock he immediately tried to confront her about joining the peerage.

But any confrontation that could have happened ended before it could even begin, when Asuna gave him _The Look_.

Kirito became quite used to _The Look_ in his time at Aincrad.

Asuna would use it every time he was, in her opinion, being particularly dense and clueless about something. Or when he was about to, in her words, do something stupidly heroic and debatably suicidal.

"I'm not a damsel in distress, Kirito-kun. I have no intention of staying in the sidelines waiting to be rescued." She explained in a tone of voice that allowed no arguments."Both of us have always been front-liners, and that hasn't changed. So let's take any problem that comes our way like we always have, together." She finished, a smile in her face.

Her smile was infectious, and soon Kirito was smiling in kind. Embracing each other they knew, that no matter what may happen, no matter what troubles the future might bring, they would always be together.

* * *

Kiba entered the occult club room to what was becoming quite a familiar sight. Asuna was sitting at the couch, being flanked by Kirito and Koneko.

Kirito was laying down, using Asuna's lap as a pillow. While Koneko was all but curled up at Asuna's other side, happily munching at some treat she had just made. Both having their heads absently petted by the smiling girl.

The little girl's actions were quite surprising. Koneko was a very private person, rarely opening up to new people. But despite that she had formed an almost instant camaraderie with her fellow Rook.

Before Asuna's arrival, Kiba had watched their interactions with interest. He saw both Rooks happily napping in the shade provided by the trees in the school grounds, or sitting in companiable silence at the club room.

After analyzing the situation for a few more days, Kiba came to the conclusion that Kirito saw Koneko like some kind of little sister. And apparently, Koneko was more than happy to fill in that role.

When Asuna appeared, Koneko had been quite defensive. Like a wild animal that had her territory trespassed. But that only lasted until Asuna decided to make a snack for the peerage as a thank you gift for the prompt welcome she had received.

Koneko defiance had all but melted before Asuna's cooking. And Kiba couldn't blame her. Even to someone accustomed to Akeno's cooking and superb tea making skill, the food had been absolutely delicious.

After that Auna started to shamelessly dote upon the little girl. Happily chatting about inane things, cooing about how cute Koneko was, and mumbling about how she wished that she could introduce Koneko to someone named Yui.

Shaking his head at the scene, Kiba couldn't help but smile at the antics of the new members of the peerage. It was like they had all but adopted the little girl into their family.

And hadn't that been a surprise. Thought Kiba thinking about when Asuna had introduced herself before the entire peerage.

* * *

***Flashback***

"Alright everyone, listen up!" Rias called chirpily. "I would like you all to give a warm welcome to our new peerage member, Asuna-chan."

"Greetings." Said a beautiful girl, with long orange-brownish chestnut hair, hands clasped demurely in front of her. "I'm Yuuki Asuna, Kirito's wife. I hope we can get along well."

While she was bowing to the peerage, the very picture of a proper lady. Everyone was reacting to the bold statement they had just heard. And in his opinion it had been quite an interesting sight.

Akeno had raised one hand before her face, giggling softly with an amused glint in her eyes.

Asia was beaming with happiness for the young couple, apparently not noticing anything wrong with the fact they were married at such a young age.

Koneko gave Asuna a suspicious look while remaining silent at her seat.

Rias eyes were literally sparkling, hands held against her heart and a dreamy look in her face.

But Issei had by far the most interesting reaction.

Face pale as a ghost, mouth open in a silent scream and a glazed look in his eyes. The peerage only pawn stood there, completely frozen for several moments, before he suddenly curled up in a fetal position and started to mumble about the world's injustice.

Truly an interesting sight. Thought Kiba while approaching the couple with a smile, ready to offer his congratulations.

* * *

***Flashback End***

Yes, things had gotten pretty lively ever since Rias added the new members of the peerage. Watching their interactions was fast becoming one of his favorite pastimes. Especially when Issei was put into the mix.

Kiba had to hold a laugh the very next moment. Issei had just entered the room and was looking at Kirito with a very complex expression.

It was almost like he didn't know what expression to keep in his face. Morphing quickly from rage and jealousy, to pride and admiration. As if in one moment he wanted to kill Kirito and the next he wanted to worship him.

Really, there was never a dull moment in this club, he thought, while taking a seat next to Asia.

Kiba's amusement was cut short when he saw Rias and Akeno coming in next.

Rias had a somber look in her face, her ever present smile nowhere to be seen, and an aura of unrest around her person.

And although Akeno was trying her best to look like nothing was wrong, she was sending worried looks at Rias direction every few moments.

"Alright everyone." Rias called, with evident fake cheer."We won't have any club activities today, or for the entire weekend for that matter. So fell free to enjoy this free time."

Those words did very little to reassure Kiba. To the best of his knowledge there had never been a weekend without some kind of club activity. They were prime moments for training or collecting contracts without having to worry about school after all.

Getting up he saw that both Asuna and Kirito had also noticed something was wrong. And even Koneko and Asia looked troubled.

Taking one last look at his clearly distressed Buchou and the equally troubled look at her [Queen's] face, Kiba accompanied a confused looking Issei out the club room.

He didn't know what was happening. But clearly, trouble was brewing.

* * *

Sitting at the park with Asuna, Kirito tried to forget Rias troubled expression. It was obvious she was distressed, but it was also obvious she didn't want to talk about it.

Shaking his head Kirito took a bite of the sandwich Asuna had made, her food always managed to lift his spirits.

Her food was incredible as always! Her cooking probably could beat most five star restaurants! If he didn't know it was impossible, he would bet she managed to somehow bring her in game cooking mastery to the real world!

"Stop that!" Asuna exclaimed, an embarrassed look in her face. "It's just a sandwich! So stop looking like you just found the Holy Grail or something!"

Putting the sandwich down at his side, Kirito gave her a heartfelt smile. "Sorry, it's just that it's really delicious. Your cooking skills never cease to amaze me Asuna."

Her pleased smiled was beautiful to see, but it was suddenly replaced by a teasing smile. "Oh, I knew it! You are just after my cooking aren't you!" She said in fake sternness.

"Of course not! I would never do such a thing." He quickly defended, faking being hurt by her words. "But it is funny to think that our relationship did start thanks to your cooking skill."

Both shared an amused smile, thinking about the Ragout Rabbit stew that signaled the beginning of their relationship.

"You two sure are lovey-dovey, aren't you?" Said a voice right behind them.

Quickly turning around Kirito saw a young girl with brown eyes and curly auburn hair, happily munching at _his _sandwich.

Completely unconcerned to the glare she was receiving, the girl continued."This is truly delicious! So that's why you never invited me to eat at your cottage! I could have easily sold this recipe for a thousand Col!"

That particular word brought all that Kirito was about to say to a halt. _Col_ was the form of currency used at SAO. Who was this girl?

Taking a closer look, Kirito could nearly recognize her. He tried imagining what she would look like if she was wearing a hooded cloak, and maybe make up in her face…

"You sure are slow, Kii-bou!" she said with a fanged grin.

That nickname was the clincher. Only one person called him that after-all! "Argo! What are you doing here?!"

"What? Can't I visit my favorite couple?" She teased while finishing the sandwich. "Do you know how abandoned I felt at the SAO survivor school? After finally managing to stop my family from freaking out, and went to that accursed school, just to find out you two had somehow transferred? Leaving poor little me all alone!"

Her eyes at the moment she said that were the very definition of the puppy-dog look. But the effect was ruined by the teasing grin in her face.

"So you just decided to appear here and say hello?" Said Asuna in disbelief.

"Nah. I had some business plans to be done here. But that ship has already sailed." There was a brief look of regret in her face when she said that while looking at them, but it soon disappeared behind her cheerful persona. "It's a lesson for me not to take my sweet time in such situations."

She wouldn't elaborate more at the subject, so they changed it and spend the next hour happily chatting about how they were doing, while being careful not to mention anything related to the new, more supernatural side of their lives.

Apparently, after the SAO incident, it took Argo two whole months to finally calm her family down enough to allow her to go back to school. And because of that, she lost all the commotion of Asuna's captivity.

The things she wanted to do to Sugō Nobuyuki, when she heard from Asuna what had happened, were more than enough to put her in jail with him.

The couple traded smiles. It was easy to forget that, beneath her teasing nature and die hard business attitude, Argo was very caring and overprotective of those few she called friends.

"Oh well, at least everything ended up alright." Said Argo, while getting up from the bench. "I would love to stay, but if I keep my mother waiting too much she will probably start PMH-ing again."

Kirito knew it was a bad idea, but he had to ask. "PMH-ing?" Argo grinned. "Yup. It stands for Psycho Mother Hen!" She said cheerfully while leaving.

"By the way, my real name is Tsukino D. Yamada. But feel free to keep calling me Argo."

We both said our farewells, but when she was nearly out of earshot she turned around and said. "Oh and Kii-bou? Better keep an eye open. There is a storm coming after-all."

And with those cryptic parting worlds, she left under the sunny sky. Not a single cloud in view.

* * *

When arriving at the club room next Monday, Kirito and Asuna immediately noticed that something was wrong. The entire peerage was present, all showing their distress, confusion and worry.

Standing by the side and slightly behind Rias, was a very beautiful sliver haired woman wearing a maid's outfit. Her face was completely neutral.

Rias herself had a somber look in her face. Her eyes looking sad but determined.

"Looks like everyone is here. Before we start the club, there's something I need to tell all of you."

"Ojou-sama, do you want me to explain the situation?" Interjected the silver haired woman.

Rias dismissed her with a wave of her hand before continuing."The truth is…"

But just as she started speaking, the magical circle started to glow. The familiar symbol that was the Gremory family crest being replaced by something else.

"…Phenex." They heard Kiba mutter, while tensing his body slightly.

A wave of intense heat emanated from the circle, followed by an explosion of flames. A silhouette of a man appeared amidst the raging inferno, and with a wave of his arm the flames vanished.

"Fuu, it's been a while since I came to the human's world."

He was a handsome young man in his early 20's with short blonde hair and dark blue eyes. But the air about him spoke of someone who cared only for himself.

His eyes scanned the room until locking into Rias, a smirk appearing in his face. "My lovely Rias. I came to see you."

Despite his words Rias body tensed, eyes half closed. She clearly didn't want him to be here. But completely ignoring her posture he approaches Rias.

"Now then, Rias. Let's go and take a look at the ceremony hall. The date of the ceremony is decided so we need to check it before then."

And without even waiting for a response he grabeb Rias arm. Kirito rested a hand at Asuna's shoulder when she visibly tensed with the action.

"…Let go of me, Raiser."Rias said with a deep and serious voice, while shaking the guys hand off.

Issei, who appeared to be extremely angered by his actions intervened."Hey, you. You are being rude to Buchou. Actually, what's with that attitude towards a girl?"

Raiser merely looked at Issei like he was seeing something completely beneath his very existence.

"Ah? Who are you?" His tone of voice had completely changed. Going from the sweet tone he used at Rias, to a completely condescending tone of voice.

"I am the servant Devil of Rias Gremory-sama! I'm the [Pawn], Hyoudou Issei." Pride evident in his voice.

"Hmm. Ah, okay."

After hearing Raiser complete lack of reaction to his words, Issei literally slipped and fell butt first in the floor, a hurt look in his face. It would have been a very comic situation if not for the tense atmosphere.

Stepping forward Kirito interjected."Who are you to just come here and treat our [King] with such disrespect! Identify yourself!"

The entire peerage appeared to agree with his sentiment, Kiba even going so far as rising from his seat, readying himself to act if necessary. Even the silver haired woman, who was still silent, looked with approval at his words.

But instead of looking even slightly worried, Raiser merely looked a bit surprised at the question.

"…Oh? Rias, you haven't mentioned me to your servants? I mean, are there guys who don't know me? You may be a reincarnated devil, but even so."

"I didn't tell them because there was no need." Rias interjected harshly.

"Oh my, harsh like always. Hahaha…"

"How do you do. I'm a maid that serves the House of Gremory. My name is Grayfia. Please allow me to explain." Said the silver haired woman, having finally moved from her spot.

"This person is Raiser Phenex-sama. He's a pure-blood High-class Devil, and the third son of the House of Phenex."

Phenex? As in the Mythical bird Phoenix? Kirito thought, remembering the flames that had coated Raiser and wondering if there was a connection.

"And he is the husband of the next heiress of the House of Gremory. Meaning he is engaged to Rias-ojousama."

Utter silence greeted Grayfia statement.

While the peerage was trying to come to terms with the shocking news, Issei decided to break the silence.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh! Rias-buchou is engaged?!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

Argo wasn't there just for show. It was a bit of foreshadowing for future chapters. There are a few hints in those dialogues; I wonder how many of you caught them.

In my opinion Argo was extremely underused by Reki Kawahara.

She was Kirito's second entry in his friend list, liked him enough to give him a nickname and trust him with the secret of her whisker marks, and was in good enough terms with him and Asuna to keep their marriage a secret, even thought that information would probably fetch a fortune if sold .

Despite all that she literally disappeared after the SAO arc. Just disappeared; puff; no explanations given.

About her name: Argo wasn't even given an IRL name, so I made one up. Tsukino means "moon field" and Yamada means "mountain". I thought that Moon field mountain was quite a good Japanese name, so she got that.

The D. in the middle of her name is one of those hints I talked about. I wonder if anyone will get what it means. (Hint: It has nothing to do with One-Piece or any other anime)

Buchou = Club President

Please Review before leaving.


	4. Chapter 4 - Readying the Raid Group

**Author's notes:** Firstly I would like to thank everyone that favorite, followed or reviewed this story. Your support is appreciated.

Secondly, a special congratulation to _**Kaioo **_for figuring out what the "D." in Argo's name stood for.

Lastly: **I do not own SAO or Highschool DxD**

* * *

**Readying the Raid Group**

The atmosphere at the club room after Issei's outburst was oppressive. The entire peerage stood some distance away from the two High-class Devils, while quietly trying to process the information given by Grayfia.

Only Raiser himself seemed unfazed by the tension in the room. Comfortably drinking a cup of tea while casually holding Rias shoulder, despite continues efforts by her part for him to stop touching her.

Kirito focused entirely at Raiser and Rias, gauging the situation.

Raiser actions spoke of a possessiveness and lack of respect that unnerved him. His constant touching of Rias, as if to establish his claim to an object, clearly reminded him of Sugō's actions.

By his side Asuna clenched her hands, clearly making the same connection he had. Grabbing her hand reassuringly, he kept his watch over Raiser.

"Stop it already!"Rias snapped angrily while rising from her seat, giving Raiser a fierce glare. But he merely continued to smirk, completely unconcerned by her apparent wrath.

"Raiser! I told you before! I will not marry you! "

"Yeah, I heard that before. But Rias, that won't do, you know? After all the situation of your household is quite serious."

"That's none of your concern! If I'm the next heiress for the House of Gremory, then I will choose who will become my husband! My father, brother, and everyone in the clan are rushing it! Also it was a promise that I will be free until I graduate from university of the human world!"

"That's right. You will basically be free. You can go to college and you can do whatever you like with your servants. But your Otou-sama and Sirzechs-sama are worried. They are afraid that your household will become extinct. We lost a great number of pure-blood Devils in the last war. Even if the war has ended, our rivalry with the Fallen Angels and God hasn't. It's not rare for the successors of pure-blood Devils to get killed in the worthless battle against them, leading to the extinction of their bloodlines. So for pure-blood Devils that also happens to be High-class Devils, getting together would be the obvious solution. Even you know the importance of maintaining the bloodlines, right?"

Their discussion was in his opinion a clash between Rias wish for freedom and the politics and outdated traditions of Devil society. It appeared that their society had a great respect for the ancient bloodlines, the clans of the original devils, and thus, sought to keep them _'pure' _trough arranged marriages. Regardless of the wishes of the parts involved.

Despite the fierce will gleaming in her eyes, Raiser words seemed to have silenced Rias. Sensing a possible weakness he continued his speech.

"The newly produced reincarnated Devils are expanding in terms of strength. Making us, the High-class Devils lose our place. And even if the newly produced Devils are also important for our future, we can't allow the pure-blood Devils to go extinct right? You and I were chosen in order to prevent the pure-bloods from going extinct. My house is safe because I have my older brothers. But there are only two siblings in your house. And your brother is someone who left the house. Then there would only be you, Rias, who can inherit the House of Gremory. If you don't take a husband, the House of Gremory will go extinct in your generation. Are you trying to crush one of the few surviving pillars that support our society?"

The 72 pillars, Kirito remembered Akeno explaining that to him and Asuna. They were the clans of the original devils of ancient times who ruled the underworld. Each clan once had great power and vast armies, but when the war with the other factions finally ended, over half of the clans had already gone extinct.

"I'm not going to crush my house. And I am willing to take a husband."

Hearing Rias words Raiser smiled broadly. "Oh, to be expected from Rias! Then let's…"

"But I won't marry you, Raiser. I will marry the one I acknowledge. Even the Devils from the old noble houses have the right to choose."

With that clear, firm refusal, Raiser entire posture tensed for the first time since arriving at the club room. His eyes became sharp and predatory.

"…You know, Rias. I'm also a Devil who carries the name of House Phenex behind me. I can't let that name get tarnished. I didn't even want to come to a small old building like this in the human world. Rather, I don't like the human world that much. The fire and wind of this world is filthy. For a Devil like me who rules fire and wind, I can't stand it!"

And with those words the area around him exploded in a sea of flames.

"I will take you back to the underworld, even if I have to burn this pathetic place and all of your servants to do it!"

Upon hearing those words Kirito raised from his seat ready to act if necessary, while noticing that Koneko, Kiba and Asuna had done the same.

He could fell a strange coldness in his bones, a felling that he hadn't felt since leaving Aincrad. He could fell Raiser's hostility and killing intent filling the room. He could feel death waiting, just one wrong blow away.

Rias unleashed her own demonic-power in response to the threat. Her crimson aura battling Raiser flames in an intense show of power, lifting the feeling of doom that was permeating the air.

In that moment, in complete contrast to the situation, Grayfia calmly stepped forward, her face still holding a completely impassive look. "Ojou-sama, Raiser-sama, please calm down. If you were to continue, then I will be forced to act. For Sirzechs-sama's honor, I won't hold back."

Upon hearing those words both Raiser and Rias immediately backed off, clearly intimidated by her words.

"Sirzechs-sama, and those from the House of Phoenix knew it would turn out like this. To tell you the truth this was to be the last discussion meeting, even thought everyone knew that it wouldn't be solved, so they decided to make a last resort."

Rias looked at Grayfia, waiting for her to continue.

"Ojou-sama, if you wish to push your opinion forward, then how about you settle it by having a [Rating Game] against Raiser-sama?"

Rias was left speechless upon hearing Grayfia words. She clearly wasn't expecting this proposition.

Kirito thought about Rias explanation of the subject. The [Rating Game] is a battle amongst Devils where their peerages compete for supremacy, and your strength in the game reflects greatly in your social standing amongst other Devils.

"Just as you know, Ojou-sama, only mature aged Devils can participate in the official [Rating Game]. But if it's an unofficial match between pure-blood Devils, even immature Devils can participate."

"In other words Otou-sama and the others decided to have a game as a last resort if I was to decline, right? …Just how far are they intending to interfere with my life before they fell satisfied!" She asked incensed.

"Then Ojou-sama, you are saying you would also decline to participate in the game?"

"No, I won't, since this is a chance. Alright then, let's settle this with a game, Raiser."

Raiser smirked after Rias provocative words.

"Hee, so you're accepting it. I don't mind. But I'm already a matured Devil and I have already participated in the official game. Right now I have won most of my games. Even so, you still want to play, Rias?"

Rias glare was the only answer he received.

"Understood, I, Grayfia, have confirmed both sides opinion. I will be in charge of the game between the two of you and will inform the two households of your decision."

Raiser looked extremely happy with the decision, as if he had already won the match.

"Hey, Rias. Are these the members of your peerage?" He asked in a smug tone of voice.

"So what?" She replied angrily.

"Then this match will be a laugh! Only your [Queen], the "Priestess of Thunder" can fight on par with my adorable servants."

And with a snap of his fingers a magical circle appeared, bringing forth his peerage.

Kirito tensed even more upon the sight. Fifteen members, Raiser has the maximum possible number of servants in his peerage. And they look quite confident as well, the way they hold themselves speaking of battle experience.

This will be a difficult battle, he thought, especially since Asuna, Asia and I don't have battle experience as Devils.

But his somber thoughts were interrupted when Raiser spoke, unease evident in his tone.

"H-Hey, Rias… That servant-kun over there is crying a lot while looking at me."

Turning around to look at what Raiser was speaking about, Kirito involuntarily took a step back at what he saw. Indeed, tears in his eyes, Issei was staring at Raiser with a look of longing and worship.

Closing her eyes and massaging the bridge of her nose, Rias explained. "This boy's dream is to have a harem. I think he was moved after looking at your servants."

Taking another look at Raiser peerage, Kirito noticed that indeed they were all girls. Truly a curious coincidence that he would end up with only girls after forming his peerage, he thought, completely missing the look Asuna sent his way.

Smirking Raiser proceeded to kiss his servants one after the other, while looking smugly at Issei. "You will never be able to do this." He said after kissing another girl.

"Don't say what I think you were saying! Damn it! [Boosted Gear]!"

Having lost all control, Issei charged with his left fist raised and enclosed into a red gauntlet. "A womanizer like you isn't good enough to be with Buchou!"

**[Boost!]** Came the sound from the jewel in the gauntlet.

"Mira. Do it." Raiser Said while looking at Issei with contempt.

"Yes, Raiser-sama."

And with those words a little girl, no bigger than Koneko, took out a Bō-staff from her back and got into a ready stance.

It was over in an instant.

Darting in front of Issei she hits him in the gut with the end of her weapon, before twisting it and hitting him in the face with enough force to send him flying into the wall.

Laughing Raiser approached Issei who was on the ground being healed by Asia.

"This may indeed be one of the fabled thirteen Longinus," he said while knocking at Issei's arm. "But that is irrelevant if you are weak! The one who you just fought is my [Pawn] Mira. She's the weakest out of my servants, but she has more battle experience and has more talent as a Devil than you."

"[Boosted Gear]? Huh." He said while walking away. "To give such an object to you is an absolute waste! This is truly like that human saying, Pearl's before swine!"

He then proceeded to look at the rest of our peerage with dismissing looks.

"Rias, how about we have a match in 10 days? We could do it now, but that wouldn't be interesting."

"…Are you giving me a handicap." She asked, angered by his actions against Issei.

"Are you against it? Is it humiliating? You know that as it stands now you couldn't possibly win." He looked at Rias with serious eyes.

"If you can't use your servant's power to the fullest, then you will lose immediately. So it's not weird for you to train with your servants for your first [Rating Game]."

He sends her a smug grin. "After-all I wouldn't want my beloved to shame herself at her very first game."

And with that Raiser disappeared into the circle with his peerage, leaving only silence in his wake.

* * *

Following after Kirito and Issei, Asuna couldn't stop a small smile from appearing in her face, even has she struggled to climb the long set of stairs in the mountain while carrying her backpack.

Rias decided the peerage would spend the ten days before the match training in one of her clan properties in the mountains. She wanted us to become stronger, in both our individual powers and teamwork.

And that situation was the source of her amusement. Truly it seemed that the world was not without a sense of irony. After everything that happened, here they were in the real world, ready to start grinding for a boss battle.

"Hurry, Ise. Stop dawdling." Rias said in fake sternness from atop the stairs.

"…I will help as well." Asia interjected, ready to help him since she wasn't carrying anything.

"It's okay, since Ise won't be able to get stronger if he can't do this much. Isn't that right Ise-kun?"

Taking a look at the face of the nearly dead looking Issei, Asuna winced in sympathy. The number of bags he was carrying was bordering the ridiculous, it was easily over five times what she was carrying!

"Is everything alright?" Kirito asked, stopping by her side, worry in his voice.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Sometimes his overprotective nature was exhausting, worrying for every little thing. But at the same time it was really cute and endearing, knowing she had a shinny knight ready to protect her was heartwarming.

Smothering a laugh, she kept walking while thinking that the mental image really didn't fit her black-clad husband, especially with his lackadaisical attitude and easygoing nature. People would sooner mistake him for a Rogue, rather than a Knight.

Kirito himself looked only slightly winded, even thought he was carrying nearly three times the amount she was. But he was a [Rook] so that was to be expected.

"Buchou, I gathered some herbs. Let's use it for the meal tonight."Kiba said while climbing the stairs with a cool expression, completely un-winded, even if he is carrying the exact same amount as Kirito.

He is followed by Koneko, who after giving me and Kirito a small nod proceeds in her climb, apparently completely unbothered by the absolutely huge amount of luggage she is carrying, which dwarfed even Issei's.

That fact that such a little girl is doing what he can't appears to wound his pride, and so Issei proceeds to climb at full throttle while complaining about dying all the way.

Really, it's like he completely forgot Koneko is a [Rook].

Shaking her head, Asuna followed after her party members into a great wooden mansion.

* * *

After a grueling physical training in the morning under the supervision of Rias, the new members of the peerage proceeded to learn how to wield their demonic-power under the tutelage of Akeno.

"You gather the demonic-power by drifting the aura that covers your whole body. You have to concentrate and feel the wave of demonic-power." She said in a stern voice, while nodding at our progress.

"Ara ara. So Asia-chan has talent in using demonic-powers after all."

And indeed, Asia was showing great talent in the area, having managed to materialize an impressive volleyball sized sphere of demonic-power.

Asuna herself was quite glad with her own tennis ball sized sphere, even if it was nowhere near Asia's size. And while Kirito was having slightly more difficulty, Akeno's nod at his own ping-pong sized one was enough to say he was doing alright.

Unfortunately Issei appeared to have a great deal of trouble in this area, having only managed to struggle to create a rice-grain sized sphere.

Akeno's look at it made it extremely clear that it was not normal to have so little demonic-power.

"Very well, now let's change that demonic-power into fire, water and lightning. You can make this by imagining it, however, it will be easier for beginners to actually move an already existing element using their demonic-power rather than creating it from scratch."

She exemplifies it by sending her demonic-power into a water bottle, making it explode into countless shards of ice.

"Asia-chan, Asuna-chan and Kirito-Kun. I want you to copy what I just did and practice at those water bottles. Ise-kun, I want you to continue on concentrating your demonic-powers. The source of demonic-power is imagination. So it's important to materialize it clearly in your mind."

While we proceeded with the training, Issei looked quite lost at how to achieve what had just been asked.

"It may be easier to materialize what you are good at and what you always imagine more quickly."

With those words, Issei's face lights up in realization. Getting close to Akeno he starts to ask something in a whispered tone.

Akeno's face goes blank for a moment before she smiles at him and whatever he just said. "Ufufu that sure is something you would come up with Ise-kun".

She then went back to the mansion, coming shortly back with loads of onions, carrots, and potatoes in her arms.

"Now then, Ise-kun. During our stay here, I want you to strip all of these off with your demonic-power."

For some reason those words in combination with the look at Issei's face made Asuna have an unexplainable urge to skewer him.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she focused her glare at the water bottle and smiled when it burst up into shards of ice.

* * *

The training was proceeding better than expected. All her new members were able to acclimatize to the rigid physical training she had put forward and where grasping the basics of using demonic-power already.

For the evening Rias was planning to make them spar against Kiba. Facing against an experienced Devil would allow her to gauge their strengths and weakness so that she could better help them grow in power.

Gathering everyone in the clearing next to the mansion she proceeded to watch the spars.

Issei clearly had never even touched a sword before today, swinging the bokuto like it was a baseball bat and completely losing his balance after putting too much force into his wild swings. But despite his lack of talent, he refused to stay down and tried to follow all advices that Kiba was giving.

But in the end Kiba proved his title as [Knight] was truly earned. Evading all of Issei's attacks with ease and countering with precise movements that spoke of the many hours of training he devoted to the art of the sword.

"Alright that's enough." she stopped the clearly one sided match. "Are you alright Ise-kun?"

The exhausted boy managed to give her a weak smile."Y-yeah I'm fine Buchou. But I think I'll stick to my fists instead of using swords."

She smiled at his words. Truly, after his altercations with the fallen-angels it seemed that he was starting to favor more of a brawler approach to combat.

Smiling happily Kiba helped Issei to seat near the rest of the peerage before turning towards her newest members.

Kirito and Asuna were giving each other significant looks, before Asuna nodded and proceed into the clearing, while slightly grimacing at the training weapon.

"Don't worry Asuna-san, as your sempai I'll be careful while we spar." Kiba tried to assure the apparently distressed girl. But her reaction to his words was not what one would expect.

"Don't worry _sempai_, don't hold back. I have my pride as a swordswoman to consider."She said steel in her voice. While narrowing her eyes and taking a strange pose, body turned sideways and sword held in one hand.

Confused by her reaction Kiba assumed his own, far more familiar stance. Rias couldn't blame his confusion, her tone of voice and clear pride when she said the word swordswoman was not what one would expect from a kendo practitioner, much less an average human girl.

After starting the match Rias thought Kiba would start slowly, testing her defense and reactions just like he did with Issei.

But that thought was shattered when Asuna charged at Kibas position with impressive speed, thrusting her sword at his neck.

Only his own speed and considerable experience allowed Kiba to dodge at the last second. But not giving him any time to recover Asuna continued to pressure him with a series of fast thrusts that forced him to either block or dodge.

This was truly amazing. Even if Kiba wasn't using his [Knight] speed he was still extremely fast, but Asuna was matching if not surpassing that speed. Keeping him unable to retaliate due to the unrelenting assault she was delivering.

Catching Kiba looking at her Rias nodded. Her skills with a blade were noteworthy and she was fast yes, but would she be able to deal with the true speed of a [Knight]? For doing so would be her first step in unlocking her own true speed.

What happened next made Rias jaw fall in shock.

Kiba blurred out of the way of the unrelenting assault and appeared next to Asuna, sword ready to strike.

But instead of hitting her side, Kiba's sword passed harmlessly trough the air when Auna herself blurred out of the way.

Kiba's surprise was clear in his wide eyes, but before he could say anything Asuna darted at him ready to strike.

If the previous attack could be called unrelenting, then this one was a literal rain of swords. Her sword only visible has a flash of movement, never stopping while slowly forcing Kiba to give ground in face of her onslaught.

This was impossible.

Even if she was a [Knight] it should take her weeks, if not months of training to reach such speeds. Like all devil powers, mental imaging was key in a [Knight] use of his speed.

A [Knight] had to be able to visualize himself moving at such speeds, had to will himself to move at such speeds. And even after achieving that most new devils had a great deal of trouble handling such speeds, for the simple fact that humans weren't supposed to move at such speeds in the first place.

But despite all that Asuna was moving fast enough to pressure Kiba, an experienced [Knight]. Who after recovering from his initial shock was finally starting to force her to react to his own attacks.

How was that possible? How could she move at such speeds so naturally, like she had been doing it for years, when she had been a devil for little over a week?

Taking her eyes off the match for a moment, she realized another irregularity.

Issei had a completely gob-smacked look in his face. Rubbing his eyes, as if he doubted what he was seeing.

Asia had a look of awe, clearly impressed by the sight before her.

Koneko and Akeno both had surprised looks themselves. No doubt wondering similar questions to her owns in their minds.

The irregularity was Kirito. While the rest of the peerage where sporting looks of shock, surprise or awe, his face was calm and collected.

He was calmly analyzing the spar, acting like Asuna's speed and ability were something normal. Something he had already seen and was used to.

Her train of thought was cut short when she heard a short exclamation coming from the clearing.

Asuna was with one knee on the ground, after having been disarmed by Kiba by a blow to her wrist.

"Your skills are truly amazing Asuna-san! But you should have warned me you are a fencer; I would have prepared a foil for you." His smile seemed more real this time.

"Thank you for the offer, but using a heavier blade was also a good test for my endurance." She replied warmly, her previous anger forgotten.

"Fencer…?" Asia asked confused.

"It's a sword style from Europe that focuses at fast and precise strikes. It uses thin sharp blades for swift thrusts at weak spots, being considered one of the fastest styles of swordplay in existence."

Kirito answered absentmindedly while going towards Asuna with a smile in his face.

Narrowing her eyes, Rias gave her new peerage member a contemplative look. That had been a very concise and thorough explanation, especially since he was not really paying attention to the question.

Taking the bokuto from Asuna, Kirito started to take a far more normal one-handed sword stance.

"Let's see what surprises you got, Kirito-kun!" Kiba's words had clearly been intended to be a joke, but when Kirito tensed and a contemplative look crossed his face Rias knew that the surprises were not over.

"Kiba-san, do you have another bokuto?"

"Yes I do. But why would you need it? That one is still in perfect condition."

"It's just I'm more used to using two is all." Kirito answered with a resigned voice.

"Oh, two sword style?" Kiba asked curiously, while grabbing one of the spare bokuto in his bag.

"Yeah, something like that."

The moment Kirito assumed his sword stance his aura changed. His easygoing nature completely vanished, being replaced by a firm will and serious expression.

Kiba himself was far more guarded this time, ready for whatever surprises the new peerage member had in store.

Or so Rias thought, for when the match started she saw Kiba's eyes widen in disbelief.

Darting forwards, body close to the ground, Kirito was next to Kiba in an instant, sword already swinging, with a speed that belittle his [Rook] piece.

Blocking the blow Kiba attempted to counterattack, but was forced to retreat due to the second blade coming for his ribs.

And so it proceeded, swing after swing came from all directions in an unending dance of blades. Leaving no weak spots for Kiba to exploit and keeping him in the defensive due to the continued barrage.

This time Kiba didn't wait for her permission. Disappearing in a blur, he appeared behind Kirito sword already mid-swing.

But instead of hitting his opponents back, only the sound of wood hitting wood rewarded his efforts. Having somehow blocked the attack Kirito was already proceeding to strike back with his other sword, forcing Kiba to duck to avoid the swing.

And so it continued Kiba blurring at speeds that Kirito couldn't possibly be able to follow only to end up meeting his awaiting swords time and again.

"Incredible" Kiba said astonishment in his voice, after retreating some distance from his opponent blades. "How are you doing that? You are reading my moves before I even finish my attacks!"

"The way you position your shoulders and angle your feet." Kirito responded calmly, even amidst the continued assault he was defending against. "You also tend to focus your gaze at where you are going to strike next."

"But even if you can read all that, you shouldn't have the speed necessary to react to my moves!" Kiba said impressed by the other boy's skills. "It as though…" He trailed off, realization in his features. "You're moving completely out of instinct! You're reacting without even judging my attacks!"

"I've been told that my reaction speed is a bit abnormal." Kirito grunted after blocking a particularly heavy blow he wasn't supposed to be able to see.

"It's amazing!" Kiba said happily, before locking blades with Kirito.

Rias agreed with Kiba's assessment, Kirito's ability and skill was unreal. Point in fact so was Asuna for that matter.

No Human should be able to handle this sort of fight. Integrating their new abilities with such natural ease should be impossible, even to accomplished martial artists or Kendo experts.

It was as if they were accustomed to battle with supernatural beings. That having superhuman strength and speed was normal. Just another facet of everyday life.

Her musings where cut short by the end of the spar.

Suddenly interrupting one of his own strikes, Kiba awkwardly redirected his blade in a new direction. Penetrating Kirito's defense and hitting him in the chest.

The blow forced him to stager backwards, but he was still sporting a smile in his face.

"You changed attack patterns mid-strike." His tone more amused than anything else. "Guess I still have some ways to go."

Kiba grabbed his hand, a similar smile in his face. "Don't worry about it; your skills are quite noteworthy already."

"Boys…" Asuna said an amused smile in her face.

Rias noted that, just like Kirito hadn't displayed any kind of wonder at Asuna's speed, Asuna hadn't reacted in the slightest to Kirito's skill.

"Great work, both of you." She said while approaching the couple. "But if you don't mind, I would like to enquire to how you achieved such high levels of skill?"

Normally she had a policy of allowing her peerage members their privacy. Everyone had secrets, and as a family they had to learn to respect each other.

But this was an exception. What had been displayed by them wasn't simple impressive, it was impossible. No former human should be able to handle a spar of that level with only a week's worth of training, the fact they had received only general training in their devil's powers only made it even more impossible.

She hoped that they could shed some light into this mystery, for the only explanation she could come up with was that they already had contact with the supernatural before meeting her. And she had no desire to question their truthfulness in joining her.

Kirito and Asuna traded meaningful looks, all trace of amusement had left their faces.

"Rias, what do you know about the SAO incident?" Kirito asked in a serious tone.

She had a vague memory of hearing that expression before, but couldn't quite place where.

Surprisingly it was Issei that answered. "Do you mean that terrorist attack that happened a couple of years ago?" He asked with worry and concern. "The one where thousands of people were trapped and forced to fight in a death game or something?"

A death game? She really didn't like the sound of that.

"Yes Issei, that one. We both are SAO survivors." He said in a flat tone, holding Asuna's hand.

"You see a little over two years ago we were amidst the ten thousand players who logged in into the very first VRMMORPG. A floating castle of incredible beauty and detail, in a virtual reality that was so well built that one could mistake it for the real world."

Rias had heard about the blooming VR games that were starting to gain popularity, but she herself had never tried one and couldn't understand how such a game could relate to the couple's fighting skills.

"But what should have been an historic moment for the gaming industry was shattered when the creator of the game, Kayaba Akihiko, trapped all the players inside the game. Any attempt at exiting the game resulting in the instant death of the player due to a microwave emitter installed in the headset used to play."

Rias narrowed her eyes at the information, her newest family members had such a past? They had been trapped by a madman who could easily kill them on a whim?

Taking a breath he continued. "The only way to escape was to clear all one hundredth floors of the castle. The game was called SAO, Sword Art Online for a reason. There was no magic in the game; the players relied exclusively in sword skills to survive."

"That doesn't sound so bad…" Asia said unsurely.

"The world of SAO was massive, being capable of accommodating thousands of players with ease. It took us two months just to clear the first floor."

"While bothersome, it doesn't sound like something you couldn't beat in time." Kiba interjected.

"Ah, I am so used to everybody knowing that I forgot to mention it… He also made that if a player ever died in game he would also die in real life. By the time the first floor was beaten over two thousand players had already died."

Rias clenched her fists while hearing the sudden intake of breath from the rest of her peerage.

While not playing those games herself, she knew that dying at least once in game was practically unavoidable. To have a situation in which that was turned into a death sentence…

A death game indeed.

"That's terrible!" Asia said looking to be in the verge of tears.

"I see. So your skills with a blade…" Kiba trailed of, his face somber.

Kirito nodded. "It took us over two years to finish the game. And while it had special skills, the basics were pretty much grounded in real life physics and existing sword styles."

"So for all intends and purposes you two have over two years of experience handling swords…" Kiba said with dawning realization.

"Was it really that bad?" Asia asked timidly.

A pained look filled his eyes. "Most of the deaths in the first two months where from suicides." Everyone flinched at that piece of information. "People who just had wanted a way to have fun or relax, that couldn't handle the sudden pressure. Most players refused to even leave the safe zones, due to fear"

"And even for those that endured, there was the ever growing fear of the unknown. You where never certain that you would be able to survive the day, or if some new monster or special skill would be too much."

"All the while knowing that your body was slowly wasting away, and the rest of the world was going on while leaving you behind. That even though you where trying your best, you had a time limit and that all could be in vain."

Any further explanation was cut short by Rias darting forward and dragging Asuna and Kirito in a bone crushing hug.

"To think that members of my family had to suffer like that! Akeno! Get everything ready, as soon as we finish with Raiser we are going to hunt whoever dared to hurt my family!"

"Yes Buchou."Akeno nodded with a fierce glint in her eyes and a very unnerving smile in her face, while Koneko was looking like she completely agreed with that course of action. Even Issei was crying with a fist raised and clenched before him.

"Thanks Rias." Kirito said after finally having managed to escape the hug. "But that won't be necessary."

Looking at him she waited for him to elaborate.

"Kayaba Akihiko was the final Boss of the game. And I killed him myself." He said in a serious tone.

"Good!" Rias said with a fierce approving smile.

It seemed her decision to add them to her family was truly the right one.

To remove all threats to your loved ones, no matter the cost, that was the Gremory way.

That was the rule in which she had based her entire life. And she would blast into oblivion anyone who dared to hurt her family! That she promised in her name as Rias Gremory.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

The truth is out and the peerage now knows about SAO. How will that knowledge affect the occult club dynamics?

Raiser's battle is just around the corner, look forward to it!

Otou-sama = respectful way to say Father

Ojou-sama = respectful way to address a daughter of a noble family

Bokuto = Wood sword used for training.

VRMMORPG = Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game

Please review before leaving.


	5. Chapter 5 - The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Notes:** There isn't much to say this time so let me just thank everyone who favorite, followed or reviewed the story and lets cut to the good stuff.

**I don't own Sword Art Online or Highschool DxD**

* * *

**The Calm Before the Storm**

Kirito silently gauged Kiba and Koneko at the other side of the clearing, readying himself for the spar to come.

Looking at Asuna standing by his side already in her favored stance, a thin bokuto resembling a rapier in her raised hand and body tilted sideways, he couldn't help but think that despite all that happened recently, they had been very lucky in joining this peerage.

After his revelation about their past and Rias overenthusiastic display of acceptance, things proceeded better than he could hope for.

No one shunned them or showed signs of worry, the fact they had been trapped in a death game and forced to kill or be killed was simply accepted, without causing the fear and revulsion that he had seen so many times in the rest of human society.

Point in fact the only reactions seemed to be positive ones, with the peerage trying to make them fell more included and trusted.

In a truly ironic manner it seemed that Devils were far more accepting and supporting than Humans, with all their prejudices and narrow-mindedness could ever be.

"Are you two ready?" Kiba asked calmly, sword in hand, standing besides Koneko who was sporting a pair of padded gloves in her hands, both already in their fighting stances.

"Yes, sempai." Kirito replied eagerly. "Hold nothing back; let's see how much we have progressed."

For this would indeed be a chance to see both their progress. Five days had already passed since their first spar against Kiba, and upon seeing their skill level Rias wasted no time in making Kiba and Koneko give them specialized training in how to better use their new powers.

Up till this point they had been using their powers like they had used their SAO characters stats, simply trusting them to be there and do their work.

But while it worked, it was nowhere enough to achieve their pieces full potential.

Demonic-power was deeply tied to three key aspects: Imagination, Will and Conviction.

A Devil had to imagine the effect happening, had to have the will to make it happen and, above all, had to have the conviction that no matter what, the desired outcome would be produced.

For instance, a [Rook] had to believe in his defensive powers, had to trust them even in the face of an apparently overwhelming strike. For if his conviction that his defense was absolute was powerful enough then the strength of his defense would be greatly boosted.

It was no wonder Devils valued strategy games like chess so much, since for them mental strength and power where intrinsically linked. For while physical training was still necessary to develop one's power, without the mental strength to finish the mix they would never achieve their full potential.

Focusing on the present Kirito took his stance. Knees slightly bent, one sword held parallel to the ground crossing his torso and the other pointed directly at his opponent.

This would be a two against two match, no holding back. Especially since with Asia watching with the others in the sidelines, even the worst injuries would be gone minutes after the match ended.

After receiving a quick nod from Koneko and Asuna the match started.

Disappearing in a blur of movement Asuna and Kiba started to trade blows the moment the match started. Quickly following after them Kirito moved to intercept Koneko so she wouldn't be able to flank Asuna.

While he had the reach advantage thanks to his greater size and weapons choice, Koneko still was proving her might.

Using her smaller size to her advantage by minimizing the places he could strike at and using her martial arts proficiency to block his sword strikes with palm thrusts she closed the distance between them and threw a heavy punch against Kirito.

Jumping out of the way and taking a look at the small crater that formed where he was standing seconds ago, Kirito decided it was time to up his game.

Readying himself he focused his will, his conviction.

When Koneko launched her second punch he swung one of his swords in answer. Colliding with a loud crack the attacks blocked each other with a resounding shockwave, and all thought his feet sunk into the ground a good couple of inches he remained unharmed.

A smile appearing in his face he swung his other sword at the little girl, who used her small size to dodge out of the way, the crater that appeared in the ground where his sword hit only widened his smile.

"You are learning." Koneko said simply, the faintest of smiles in her face.

"Thanks. It was all due to your instructions." He replied sincerely.

Readying to reengage he took a quick glimpse at the [Knights] battle.

Truly, it was like Asuna was born for that piece. Side stepping all of Kiba's swings with ease and answering in kind with blindingly fast thrusts that forced him to either dodge or block, rather he were to be overwhelmed by her barrage.

Blocking Koneko's incoming fist he dived back in the dance of blocks and counters, dodges and strikes that was their fight, knowing that every single hit had more than enough force to crush rocks.

Their fierce battle between swords and fists was so entrancing that he almost missed it, only years of experience and reflexes obtained in life or death situations allowing him to duck in time to escape the sword passing mere inches above him.

Having managed to disengage from his own battle, Kiba had attempted to blindside him. And while he missed, the opening he provided was far too good for Koneko to pass.

Seeing the kick coming straight for his chest and knowing he had no time to either block or dodge, Kirito sunk his feet into the ground and hardened his resolve.

The thundering blow sent him skidding trough the ground for over ten feet, but he managed to weather the blow and keep standing, swords in hand.

And a good thing too, since before he even had completely stopped Kiba was already upon him, sword ready to strike.

Blocking strike after strike while waiting for a chance to counter Kirito saw that Koneko had intercepted Asuna's path, forcing her to use her speed to dodge the crunching blows she was receiving.

Stopping one of his blocks short while taking half a step back, he allowed Kiba's blade to pass inches away from his face. But his gambit paid off, not meeting any resistance Kiba overextended and was left open for his counter.

Hitting him with all his strength, Kirito sent his opponent flying to the other side of the clearing. But before he could charge to finish the assault a loud ripping noise brought him to a halt.

Apparently having decided that Asuna's superior reach in combination with her speed were too much of a hindrance, Koneko had proceeded to rip a whole tree of the ground and was now using it as a club.

Grounded in sheer astonishment by the move, Asuna was a split second too late in her dodge and was clipped by the tree.

Kirito started to speed towards Asuna's dazed form, even thought he knew he was too far away to get there in time.

Raising her improvised weapon with both hands, Koneko swung it down to end the match.

No! He wouldn't let it happen! He would let the strike connect!

Without even noticing Kirito lowered his stance, both of his blades starting to emit a black aura as they trailed by his side.

He had the will. He had the conviction! And he would personally freeze hell twice over before he allowed her to be injured!

Appearing before the swinging trunk in a sudden burst of speed, Kirito swung both his black enveloped swords downwards, hitting the trunk in a move he had used countless times before.

Upon hitting each other both his training swords and the tree exploded into a shower of wood splinters.

Utter silence filled the clearing, everyone frozen in place trying to understand what had just happened, while Kirito himself gazed disbelievingly at his hands.

"Kirito, that was…" Asuna tried to ask while fighting her own disbelief, wide eyes locked into his form.

"Sonic Leap…"His voice was oddly calm. "That was… the sword skill Sonic Leap…"

The stillness of the moment was then broken by Akeno.

"Ara, ara. Just when we think you have no more surprises Kirito-kun." She said while giggling softly at everyone's astonished expressions.

* * *

"Uoooo! It's delicious! It's really delicious!" Issei exclaimed in pure joy as he wolfed down everything in sight.

"We still have more food left so eat as much as you want." Akeno offered with a kind smile while she served more of the boar meat she had cooked.

"Akeno-san, you are the best! I even want you as my wife!"

"Oh my, you are embarrassing me." She answered while laughing softly, one hand in her cheek in fake embarrassment.

"...I also made this soup." Asia interjected shyly.

Upon hearing those words Issei quickly grabbed a bowl of the onion soup Asia had made and downed it in one go.

"It's good Asia! It's the best! Give me another one!"

"It is!? I'm so glad...Then now I can become Ise-san's..." She trailed-off a blush in her face.

"Hm? I couldn't hear the last part. What was that?" Issei asked completely oblivious

Seeing the girl scarlet face and Issei's clueless look Kiba couldn't help a small smile from appearing in his face. For someone who desired to be a harem king, Issei was surprisingly dense about a woman's feelings.

"Try these ones as well, they were made by Asuna." Akeno said while offering a plate of grilled fish.

"It's amazing!" He said with stars in his eyes. "Asuna-san, please…"

But his words were cut short when his gaze met Asuna's.

"Yes Issei-san? Is there a problem?" She asked with a kind smile and a gentle tone.

But despite that her aura told a whole different story. It made Kiba want to run into the forest and hide under a rock, and he wasn't even the focus of her attention!

"N-No, it's nothing, nothing at all!" Issei said as quickly as he could.

"…Idiot." Koneko added, having paused from eating the mountain of food in front of her long enough to see the scene.

"Kirito both yours and Asuna's abilities are very impressive. Were such things that common at Aincrad, were all SAO players that skilled?" Rias asked curiously.

"Well we may be kind of slightly above the curve." Kirito said sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head.

Asuna snorted in amusement. "Please, slightly above? Kirito was the strongest player in all Aincrad, the 'Black swordsman', the only player with a reaction speed fast enough to acquire the skill dual blades, and someone who never teamed-up with anyone before me but still managed to stay in the frontlines despite being a solo player."

"H-hey, like you are one to talk. You were the vice commander of the strongest guild amidst the clearers and possessed the fastest attack speed of all players, Asuna 'The Flash'." He replied embarrassment clear in his face.

"Clearers?" Rias asked puzzled, while inwardly amused by their titles, she would make sure to find a way to use them in the future.

"The clearers also known as front-liners were the ones who actively tried to clear the game, mapping dungeons, raising their levels, perfecting their skills and fighting the Bosses in order to reach the higher floors." Asuna quickly supplied.

So they were exceptional even amidst the other fighters in that game. That's good, if word got out there were hundreds of people of their caliber just hanging around there would be an invasion of high class devils looking for peerage members in their hands. Kiba thought grimly.

* * *

Finding that he was unable to sleep, Issei went to the kitchen to drink a glass of water.

He couldn't help but compare himself with the rest of the peerage, and that wasn't helping his confidence in the least.

They all towered over him, in both experience and power. Even Asia, who had no attack power whatsoever, was more useful than him, quickly learning to wield her demonic-power and being able to heal any kind of injury.

Raiser's words kept echoing in his head, taunting him and his weakness.

"Ara? You're awake?" Rias said from the table, cutting his self-doubting thoughts.

"Ah, Buchou. Hello." He said with a weak smile.

"Why are you so stiff? Good timing, take a seat, let's talk for a bit."

Sitting at the table his mood was improved by the sight that stood before him.

Wearing a red negligee and wearing glasses, her crimson hair tied into a braid, Rias made a lovely sight sitting amidst countless papers and graphics.

"Huh? Buchou, do you have bad eyesight?"

"Oh, this? It's just for looks. I can think more clearly while having my glasses on. This is the proof that I have been in the human's world for so long." She said with a chuckle.

"…To be honest, the only thing I will get by reading this is to have peace of mind."

Rias said while sighing.

"Why is that?"

"If the opponent was another High-class Devil, then we could fight by strategizing. By collecting lots of research and finding the best possible solution. But that isn't the problem."

"Then what's wrong?" He asked confused.

"Raiser himself is the problem. Or better said the biggest problem is that our opponent is from the house of Phenex." Rias said while taking out a book and pointing out at a picture of a firebird with its wings spread wide open.

"A long time ago the mystical beast, Phoenix, was looked upon by humans as a bird that governed life. Leaving behind countless legends in many countries in the human world where it's told that the tears of the Phoenix can heal any wounds, and the blood that flows within its body can grant immortality."

"And therein lays the problem, for there is a devil's clan that, while different from the mystical beast Phoenix, has the same powers as the legendary firebirds. They hold the rank of Marquis, and are counted as one of the 72 pillars, the Phoenix from the Devil's side, the house of Phenex."

"In other words, immortality, that's our true opponent. We must defeat an immortal enemy."Rias finished grimly.

"That's cheating! I mean being immortal is basically being invincible!" Issei said, the thought of an invincible opponent making him start to panic.

"Yes. They are basically invincible. Even if you attack them, their wounds will heal right away. Eight victories and two losses, that's Raiser's official record at the [Rating Game]. But in truth he is undefeated; having purposely forfeited two of his matches as a show of appreciation to other households he is close to."

A somber expression in her face she looked Issei in his eyes and continued.

"I felt somewhat uneasy when I heard that Raiser was chosen as my fiancé. Even if I couldn't tell at the time I think Otou-sama and the others chose him in case something like this was to happen. They chose Raiser so I will have no choice but to marry him. Even if it becomes a match between households, they knew that there was no way for me to win. In chess you could say they tricked me. A swindle you could say."

Seeing that her words were truly starting to depress Issei, Rias decide to tell him what hope they still had.

"You know, it's not like we can't defeat Raiser?"

"Are you serious!?"

"Yes. There are two ways you can defeat him. One is to beat him down with incredible power and the other one is to keep on taking him down until his mind is crushed. The first method requires the strength of a God-class being. The second is to keep forcing him to resurrect, even if his body is immortal, his mind isn't. His mental strength decreases every time he is defeated, eventually leading to an end to his resurrections.

"Buchou." Having got some confidence with the knowledge their defeat wasn't certain, Issei decided to ask a question that had been in his mind for a while.

"What is it?"

"Why do you hate Raiser…no, more like, why are you against this marriage so much?"

Rias sighed at the question.

"…I'm a 'Gremory'."

"Huh? W-Well, you certainly are…"

"No. I didn't re-introduce myself. I'm a Devil from the House of Gremory, and that name will follow me to wherever I go."

"And while I feel proud of it, this is also something that is a burden to me. Everyone looks at me as Rias from the Gremory. I can't have them look at me simply as Rias. That's why I'm enjoying my life in the human world. They don't know about my house, everyone looks at me as whom I am and I really like that feeling. I never felt something like that in the Devil's society, and I know I never will. The only time I can enjoy my life as myself is when I'm in the human world."

"I want to be with someone who will love me as Rias without the fact that I'm a Gremory. That's my small dream. Unfortunately, Raiser only looks at me and sees my title, Gremory. He does not love me, he loves the power and prestige that comes with my clan name, and that's why I hate it. And while I know my clan's situation is complicated, I still want to cherish this small dream I have." She finished with a pained look in her face.

Issei's face that had been showing more and more confusion as Rias told her tale was suddenly set into a look of determination.

"I don't know anything about Gremory, noble clans or even about the Devils' world, but to me Rias-buchou is Rias-buchou… Nggh, I don't understand all the complicated stuff but to me the usual Buchou is the best!" He said with complete honesty, a smile in his face.

Upon hearing those words Rias face turned the same shade as her hair.

"B-Buchou? D-Did I say something weird?" He asked confused

"I-It's nothing!"Rias quickly said in a panic.

Shrugging his shoulders Issei remembered his initial unease.

"I just wish I could be more useful to you. I think I've gotten stronger since I came here and trained with everyone, but more than that…I fell the difference between us, and I can't do anything about it! I'm fine as long as I have my Boosted Gear! I acted tough by thinking like that but now …" He said in an ever growing tone of sadness.

"I found out that I was the weakest, I also found out that, I'm the most useless, I realized it means nothing if I'm the one with the ultimate Sacred Gear. That's why I was laughed at by Raiser back then, right? 'Pearls before swine' certainly a fitting phrase for me."

Finally saying out loud what had been tormenting him for days, Issei started to cry.

Standing up and taking a seat next to him, Rias enveloped Issei in a comforting hug, gently patting his back.

"You are not weak Ise, far from it. You want confidence, right? Okay, I will give you confidence. But now, you have to rest your body and mind. I will be with you until you feel like sleeping."

And with those words Rias placed Issei in the couch, his head in her lap, and gently caressed his hair until he was asleep.

* * *

Going towards the clearing Kiba wondered what Rias wanted him for this early in the morning, spars would only begin at twilight after all.

"Ah Kiba you arrived, very good." Rias said chirpily standing next to a nervous looking Issei. "You and Ise will have a sparing match with everything you got!"

Issei's dumbfounded expression made clear the spar was Rias idea.

"B-buchou! You can't be ser…"

"My decision is final." Rias interrupted happily. "Oh and Ise? I truly mean everything you got, so I'm lifting the ban I put in the use of your sacred gear. The match will start two minutes after you activate it."

With one last look at Rias smiling face Isse's shoulders dropped and he activate his sacred gear.

"[Boosted Gear]." He said making a red gauntlet form in his left arm.

Two minutes later Rias started the match.

Rushing forward with all his speed Kiba unleashed a heavy swing against Issei's chest, but his attack was easily blocked by one of Issei's arms.

Blurring out of the way of a counterattack, he swung at his opponent unprotected back and hit him in the head with a resounding crack.

But, much to his surprise, despite the blow to the head Issei was still standing, a soft 'ouch' the only sign the blow had connected at all.

"Issei gather your demonic-power and then fire it against him!" Rias ordered in a happy tone.

Holding his hands by his side Issei gathered his demonic-power until a rice-grain sized sphere of dark crimson energy was hovering between his hands.

Moving his hands forward he released the pitifully small sphere of energy, while Kiba dodged more out of habit than anything else.

The next moment he was very glad he did so.

The moment the sphere left his hands, it instantly grew to ten times its original size and proceeded forward at an unbelievable speed, before finally colliding with a mountain.

And with an almighty explosion and a thundering roar the mountain was no more.

Issei's mouth was hanging open in shock, while Kiba managed to limit his own astonishment to a mere widening of his eyes.

"Good job you two. Now I will hear your impression. Kiba, how was it?" Rias asked in a carefree tone, as if a mountain had not suddenly ceased to exist right in front of her eyes.

Recomposing himself Kiba answered her question.

"Yes. To tell the truth I'm astonished. I tried to finish the spar with the first strike, but I couldn't break through Ise-kun's guard. After that I tried to knock him down in my second strike by hitting his head from above, but that failed as well." He said while laughing, a refreshing expression on his face.

"I even strengthened the bokuto with demonic-power, but it couldn't give that much damage to Ise-kun because his body was too hard, and in the end…"

Shrugging his shoulders Kiba raised the bokuto so that they could see it's completely cracked surface.

"Thank you, Kiba. That's how it is, Ise."

Rias said to a completely astonished Issei.

"Do you see it now Ise? While it's true that you without your sacred gear is indeed the weakest of my pieces, once you activate it everything changes. That attack was on par with that of a High-class Devil. If that hits, most people will be blown away." She said while pointing to where, until recently, there was a mountain.

"Your body which went through basic training became a vessel that can handle the strain of the drastic increase of power provided by the [Boosted Gear]. I told you before, right? You can become the strongest as long as you improve your basics. The higher your initial strength is, the more the power can increase. Even a minor improvement in power from one to two can become a big factor for you to become strong."

She looked at Issei's face of dawning realization, pride in her eyes.

"You are the key to the game. Your attacks can become the factor that will decide the outcome of a battle. If it was only you fighting, then it would be scary because you would have your guard down while powering up. However, this battle is a team battle. You will have your comrades to support you. Trust in us and you will become strong as well. We can win this!"

And with those words a fierce smile appeared at her face, a smile that was soon copied by her [Pawn].

* * *

Ten days had passed since the challenge had been accepted. Having trained to the very limits of what was possible in that time the peerage returned to the city so that they could rest and gather their strength for the approaching battle.

Sitting at the apartment living room with Asuna leaning at his side, Kirito thought that they had a very good chance at tomorrow's battle.

The entire peerage had trained hard, both into team practices and individual training.

They had drilled in various team maneuvers and possible scenarios so that they could act like a cohesive unit.

Koneko had gotten stronger and faster thanks to the constant spars, gaining some of the battle experience that she had lacked before.

Kiba's improvement was even greater, constant fights against actual sword users allowing him to refine and perfect his own techniques.

Asia's ability at using her healing power had also grown exponentially, making her more than capable of healing serious injuries in mere seconds.

And while he hadn't personally seen Rias and Akeno training, the patches of scorched earth and blackened trees, as well as the new clearings that kept mysteriously appearing in the forest hinted that it also had gone well.

Issei had been a wakeup call, literally. When you are awakened by a thundering noise to see that a mountain had just disappeared from existence… well if that didn't indicate improvement he frankly didn't know what did.

He and Asuna had also improved. Learning to wield their pieces power properly and translating their gaming knowledge into the real world, and hadn't that been a surprise, Sword Skills.

The foundation of demonic-power being the imagination of the wielder, skills that they had been using for years in an imaginary world were more than doable. Point in fact after stumbling at them in that spar against Kiba and Koneko they had come quite naturally for the both of them.

The strange new sword techniques had astounded the rest of their peerage. The powerful moves created by Akihiko's dream were even more deadly in the real world since there was no longer a pause forced by the system after activating them.

He was confident at their chances; they had participated in countless raids with far less preparation, information and with far worse party members and still emerged victorious.

The fact that participants were teleported away from the game before fatalities could happen was also a great relief to his mind.

His musings were cut short by the doorbell ringing.

"Could you get that Kirito-kun, I would like to get dinner started."

More than happy to allow Asuna to create her culinary miracles, he went to answer the door.

Opening up he was greeted by a delivery man carrying a large box.

"Kirigaya Kazuto?"The delivery man asked.

"Yes?" He asked puzzled, as far as he knew no one was supposed to be sending him anything.

"Good, just sign here. Have a nice day."

Taking the box in, he noticed that it had no return address, only his address and name were written on it. Opening it he saw a card on top of what appeared to be a protective wrapping that enveloped whatever the box was containing.

The card had no signature, bearing only one single line of text.

'Heroes have to look the part!'

Even more confused he unwrapped it, revealing what was inside.

After doing so his jaw dropped.

For before his eyes there where two outfits one pure black and the other white with red linings.

Before his eyes were none other than his and Asuna's SAO battle clothing, like a dream made real.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Alright, first and foremost, before anyone say's the scene between Rias and Issei is similar to Gabriel Blessing's work I would like to clarify that I practically copied that part from the Highschool DxD _original _Light Novel.

The reason for that is that it is a fundamental scene to the story. That scene is the true starting point for the feelings Rias has for Issei. Before that she saw him as 'the funny, perverted but reliable, idiotic member of her peerage' but after that she started to see him as '_her _funny, perverted but reliable idiot'.

Issei recognizing Rias as her own person instead of the heiress of the Gremory clan is an essential part to the whole DxD storyline and as such had to be included.

Raiser's battle will begin in the next chapter and you will all be happy to know that it will be quite extensive. I found out that I enjoy writing battle scenes; it was a lot of fun to write the spar in the beginning of this chapter.

Everyone who paid attention to the story so far will know exactly who sent the outfits to Kirito and Asuna. Really, that character is such a tease. :)

Look forward to the next one and please review before leaving.


	6. Chapter 6 - Storm Riders

**Author's Notes: **Firstly I would like to thank everyone that favorite, followed or reviewed the story so far. Your support is appreciated.

I had a lot of trouble deciding if I should split this chapter in two or not due to its size. It ended up being rather large, nearly double the word count of my second biggest chapter so far, but in the end I decided it was best to keep it together since it would look "broken" if it was split.

The [Rating Game] is upon us, so go ahead and enjoy the show!

Lastly: **I do not own SAO or Highschool DxD**

* * *

**Storm Riders**

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, not a cloud could be seen in the sky; by all accounts it was a perfect day.

How curious that my fate should be decided in such a beautiful day, Rias thought while gazing at the horizon, waiting for her peerage to arrive at the Occult Research Clubroom.

Smiling in thanks to the steaming cup of tea that was offered by Akeno she distractedly tasted it while thinking about the coming match.

In many ways she considered herself to be very fortunate, her peerage, her real family, was truly remarkable.

They were all ready to aid in her bid for freedom even in face of what some would call insurmountable odds, even if it meant facing such a daunting opponent.

She knew her odds; she knew that the game had been set so she was at a disadvantage, her family last attempt at controlling her and her dreams.

But she refused to be controlled! To give up her entire life due to the wins of her family! To cease to be Rias, and be only Gremory!

They believed she had no chance, that her defeat was assured. And had they acted only a couple of months sooner they would had been right.

But she had a full peerage now. A peerage that had given their all, enduring arduous training without complaint or hesitation, a peerage that had a surprising amount of skill, talent and ability, a peerage that was more than capable of surprising those who thought them weak and surpass all odds, all for her sake.

Her eyes resolute she silently vowed to live up to that regard, they would win this despite the odds. She would win her freedom and stay in the human world with her real family, those that cared for her as her own person.

Trading a meaningful look with her [Queen] Rias knew that today would be a defining moment in all their lives, and that if they wished to take control of their fates and be truly free, they would have to prove that even the mighty Phoenix could fall.

* * *

"I know Buchou told us to dress in whatever we were most comfortable with, but you two really went all out, didn't you?" Kiba asked with a smile, while climbing the stairs to their clubroom.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Kirito answered with a embarrassed smile while rubbing the back of his head.

"This may be a little over the top, but you can't deny it's somewhat appropriate." Asuna replied in amusement.

Kiba nodded in agreement, for while their outfits had greatly surprised him, he couldn't deny that they made both of them look more than ready for the game.

Taking another look at the couple Kiba couldn't help but feel slightly underdressed in his school uniform with only metal arm and leg guards to complement his 'Battle clothes'.

Asuna was wearing a leather tunic, shorts and long boots that passed her knees, all white with red linings and some kind of breastplate. All in all the combination of the clothing and the thin silver rapier at her waist gave her a very martial appearance, like a commander about to lead troops into battle.

Kirito was dressed completely in black, black pants, black shirt, black boots and a black trench-coat. The only thing to break the color theme was a metal plate strapped to the left side of his chest, directly in front of his heart. That blackness in conjunction with the twin swords at his back, one dark as midnight and the other a transparent nearly see trough blue, gave him an aura of danger despite his easygoing smile.

The weapons had also been a surprised. He had gone to their apartment early to provide the weapons like Rias had asked, expecting it to be a quick task that would be over in a couple of minutes, only to be taken aback by their enthusiasm and very specific requests concerning their swords.

Quite frankly he had learned more about swords, and the vast number of small details and characteristics pertaining to them, in that half an hour than in the last year he had practiced with his sacred gear.

Entering the club room he was quick to notice that they had not been the only ones to 'customize' their appearances. Asia was wearing what appeared to be a nun outfit and Akeno was in her Miko clothes, while the rest of the peerage was wearing their school uniforms.

"Ara, ara. You two sure look prepared, don't you?" Akeno asked softly, a smile in her face and one hand delicately cupping her cheek.

Tuning out their response, along with Issei's mumbles about getting a costume for himself, Kiba looked Rias right in the eye and gave her a solemn nod, silently conveying his determination, the fact that he was ready to do whatever was necessary to protect them, to protect his friends and family.

Rias quietly returned the nod, her will and determination clearly visible in her eyes. Smiling he took a seat by her side happily accepting the tea Akeno was offering. He was sure this would be a day to be remembered.

Shortly after, the magic-circle in the middle of the room started to shine and Grayfia appeared with her usual stoic expression.

"The match will start in ten minutes, is everything ready?"

Standing up Rias looked at her peerage that was standing by her side. "Everything is ready; you may proceed with the [Rating Game]."

With a small nod Grayfia continued. "When the time comes to start the battle, you will be teleported to the battlefield through this magic-circle. The location of the field is in a different dimension used specifically for battles. You may fight with all your power with no fear for consequences, for it's a disposable space, so feel free to fight to your satisfaction."

"Hey, Buchou?" Issei asked with a curious expression.

"What is it?"

"Buchou, you also have another [Bishop], right? Where is that person?"

"Unfortunately, my other [Bishop] can't participate in this game. I can't say more about it right now, though I promise there will be a time when I will talk about that in the near future."Rias answered in a sad tone while avoiding looking Issei in the eyes.

"Additionally, the [Rating Game] will be also broadcasted to the underworld in order to allow the members of both households to view the battle." Grayfia continued as if there had been no interruptions.

"Maou Lucifer-sama will also be viewing this battle. Please do not forget about it."

"Onii-sama is? …I see, so Onii-sama is also going to view this battle." Rias interrupted with a thoughtful look in her face.

Looking clearly confused, Issei raised his hand before asking.

"U-Umm, Buchou, you just called Maou-sama 'Onii-sama'…? Or did I hear wrong?"

Noticing that Rias was still in deep thought Kiba answered in her stead.

"No, Buchou's brother is indeed the Maou-sama Lucifer."

"M-Maoooou!? Buchou's Onii-sama is Maou-sama!?"Issei asked shocked by the revelation.

"Yes." Rias answered absentmindedly.

"Are you confused because Buchou's family name is different to the names of the Maous?" Kiba asked the confused looking [Pawn].

Issei nodded reluctantly with a slight frown on his face.

"The previous Great War really left the Devils in a critical condition, having lost not only over half of their original clans but also the four original Maous. The death of the Four Great Satans caused a power vacuum that had to be filled if the Devils were to survive, so they decided to keep the names of the Maous as a title and let it be inherited to the ones with enormous powers. So the current Maous are the Ultimate-class Devils that inherited their names and are the successors of the first Maous."

"So Buchou's brother was chosen to be a Maou from the Ultimate-class Devils then?" Issei asked with growing understanding.

"Sirzechs Lucifer, who is also known as the 'Crimson Satan', he is Buchou's brother and the most powerful of the Maous." He said while nodding in agreement.

"It's time. Everyone, please head to the magic-circle. Also be warned, once you get transported, you cannot use the magic-circle again until the game ends." Grayfia interrupts.

Her words where meet by only silence, and with one last look at each other the peerage entered the glowing circle and into their first [Rating Game].

* * *

Kirito first impression was that nothing had happened, they were still at the clubroom, and everything was in the same place as before they entered the magic-circle.

That impression lasted until he saw the sky trough the window, the completely white sky.

[Hello everyone, I am Grayfia, a maid from the House of Gremory and today I will be the arbiter of the Rating match between the House of Gremory and the House of Phenex.]

Grayfia's voice echoed through the building, as if it was being broadcasted by the school sound system.

[In the name of my Master, Sirzechs Lucifer, I shall make sure this match follows the proper rules. The battlefield shall be a replica of the school, Kuoh academy, which Rias-sama attends to in the human world.]

Kirito was deeply impressed; this dimension that had been created for the game was nearly indistinguishable from the real world, in fact the only apparent difference was the white sky.

It seems Kayaba wasn't the first person to create a VR game after-all, he thought with a small smile.

[The location where both teams were transported will be their base. Rias-sama's base would be the Occult Research Cub's clubroom located in the old school building. Raiser-sama's base would be the Student Council's room located in the new building. For the [Pawns] to use promotion, please head to the enemy's base to do it.]

Promotion the ability all [Pawns] posses to evolve into any of the other pieces, Kirito thought while looking at Issei, If we are to succeed then it will be imperative to deny Raiser's [Pawns] that chance while making sure Issei can achieve it.

"Everyone, will you all please put this transceiver in your ears." Rias said cutting his train of thought.

Looking around he saw Akeno giving everyone small ear-piece transceivers.

"At the battlefield, we will be using this to communicate with each other."

So we will be able to stay in contact with all party members and react to orders more efficiently, you really would have made a good guild leader Buchou. He thought with a smile while putting the transceiver in his ear.

[Now it's the time for the commencement of the battle. Please take notice that this match will continue until one of the [Kings] is defeated or till dawn in the humans time. So, let this match start.]

Despite the announcement Rias calmly took a seat and started to explain her plan while Akeno was making some tea.

"First we have to take down Raiser's [Pawns]. It will be very troublesome if they all promote into [Queen]."

"B-Buchou, you seem pretty calm…" Issei interjects unnerved by the apparent lack of concern the rest of the peerage was showing to the beginning of the match.

"Ise, the battle just started. The [Rating Game] is originally a game that doesn't finish in a short time. There may be times when it becomes a 'blitz', but mostly it's a game that takes very long. Just like the actual chess game."

Kirito and Asuna both nod at this assessment, they had learned long ago that you had to plan every step of a raid, or else risk losing everything due to a lack of coordination or an unknown element suddenly interfering with the plan.

"The [Rating Game] has a meaning only if you use the battlefield to the fullest. Usually the base would be a fortress, a castle or even a tower. There would be forests and rivers between the two bases and the peerages would battle using those areas. This time the school is our stage. Yuuto."

"Yes." Kiba answered spreading a very detailed map of the school on the table.

"There's a forest near our base, you could say that it's also our territory while the new school building would be Raiser's territory. It's quite possible that there will be an ambush when you enter their territory. The school field is visible from the new school building, so it will be dangerous to pass through there."

"Then do we have to go through the sports grounds to get to the new school building?" Issei asked innocently.

With a small chuckle Rias continued to explain her plan.

"Normally yes, but the enemy will undoubtedly also know that. So he'll have his servants positioned there. Due to the size of the sports grounds he will probably position one or even both of his [Knights] there, and probably a few [Pawns] as back up, probably two or three of them. So he'll have two [Knights] and three [Pawns], a total of five servants here in order to have control of the whole area."

"While that may be true we cannot ignore the possibility of him deploying one of his [Bishops] there as support due to the unimpeded line of sight provided by the open field nature of the area." Asuna said in a serious tone of voice while leaning closer to the map."

While looking momentarily surprised by Asuna's insight and sudden change of demeanor, Rias quickly recovered and smiled in approval at her [Knights] reasoning.

Stepping forward Kiba said his own thoughts. "Buchou, it's about the Gym near the old school building, shouldn't we occupy this location first? The Gym is a passage to both of the buildings so if we capture it then we will have a route to the new school building and we would also restrain the enemy's movements."

Nodding in approval to Kiba's opinion she proceeded with her plan.

"Yes, I also have the same opinion. First we will capture the Gym. In terms of location, the opponent may have his [Rook] positioned there, since it's inside a building, it would be better to use the [Rook] with destructive power over a [Knight] with mobility."

Closing her eyes in depth thought Rias considered what the best strategy to follow was.

"…Yuuto and Koneko, for the moment you two set a few traps in the forest in order to secure our base. Take another map with you and make sure you mark the places where you set the traps in. I will make a copy afterwards and hand it to everyone."

"Yes."

"…Roger."

They both reply, leaving the room carrying a map and a large tool box with them.

"Everyone else will be on standby until they finish setting up the traps. Oh, Akeno."

"Yes."

"After Yuuto and Koneko return, can you cast illusions and mists around the forest and the sky? Obviously, make it so that it only reacts to Raiser's group. We will start this match by fortifying our position before proceeding."

"I understand, Buchou."Akeno confirms the plan while standing by her side.

Rias then turn her face to look at Issei, a mischievous look in her eyes.

"Ise-kun come sit here." She asks waving her hand in a beckoning gesture.

"Yes!" Issei replied energetically, hurrying to sit by her side.

"Now lay your head down here." She said pointing at her lap.

"I-I will be in your care!" He said quickly, shock and disbelief clear in his voice.

"Geez. Why are you crying?" Rias asked slightly confused.

"Sob, getting a 'lap pillow' from Buchou, I'm so moved that the tears won't stop. I will never forget this sensation. Sob, I'm happy that I was born."

Trading an amused look with Asuna, Kirito noted that Asia wasn't very pleased with the current circumstances, if the sharp look she was sporting was any indication.

"If it's just a 'lap pillow', then I will give it to you again. You seriously are an overreacting boy." Rias replied, amusement in her eyes while touching one glowing finger at Issei's head.

Suddenly Isse's face change from elation to confusion as a crimson aura suddenly enveloped his body before disappearing.

"I unlocked a small portion of the seal that I had cast on you." Rias answered the unspoken question. "Do you remember the fact that I used all my eight [Pawn] pieces to reincarnate you?"

"Yes."

"At that time, your strength was so low that I had to put a limit on your power as a [Pawn] since your body couldn't endure the power of all eight pieces at the same time. To put it simply, based only in piece value you would be the strongest after Akeno, so you needed to attain more endurance or else your body would break due to the strain. All that training was meant to have you cope with the power of the [Boosted Gear] and the [Pawn], and though there are areas you still lack in, I judged the time was right and just unsealed a bit of the seal."

Rising from her seat with one last pat at Issei's head, Rias finished her explanation.

"Listen up, Ise. Your first and most important goal in this game will be to use promotion and change into [Queen], if you manage to change into the piece with the strongest power the flow of battle will change."

"But it feels weird for me, who am a guy, to turn into a [Queen]." He replied in slight distress.

Laughing softly at his childish concern, Rias attempted to placate him.

"It's just a name for a role in chess, so you don't have to think too deeply about it. We are already at a disadvantage by having fewer members than Raiser. So you have to prepare yourself to work over the limit. If we lose even a single person, our situation will get even harder."

"Buchou! I will definitely make you win!" He promised confidently.

"Yes, I will be relying on you, my adorable, Ise."

Noticing Kiba and Koneko had just returned Rias gaze turned ferocious, a determined glint in her eyes.

"All right everyone, listen up! Koneko, you and Issei will go to the gym and engage Raiser servants that will undoubtedly be there, you will probably be outnumbered but that's fine, you don't have to win just stall and keep them there. When the time is right I will signal you and you will immediately get out of the building, Akeno, you know what to do."

The predatory smile that Akeno gave to those words was very unnerving.

"Kiba, you, Asuna and Kirito will proceed to the sports grounds. If the first part of the plan works it will be the only viable path left between both bases so you have to secure it no matter what."

"Afterwards Koneko and Issei shall meet with you there, where they will join up with Kirito in order to escort Issei to the enemy base in order for him to promote, while Kiba and Asuna hold the sports grounds."

"Akeno, after you take out the Gym Raiser will probably send out his [Queen], Yubelluna is very dangerous, she truly earned her epithet as the 'Bomb Queen'. It will be your task to cut her off from interfering."

"I will remain behind with Asia in order to provide support to whoever may need it, everyone understand the plan?"

Looking around the room Kirito's gaze was met by the looks of determination from the rest of the peerage, seeing Rias once again sporting a fierce predatory smile this time he answered in kind with a smile of his own.

* * *

Running alongside Koneko as they neared the Gym Issei tried to ready himself for what he had to do. He knew that without his sacred gear he was hardly a treat, but despite its awesome power it also had severe limitations.

Twelve times, that was the limit of [Boosts] he could perform without hurting his own body. In that state he could literally blow out a mountain, but it took precisely two minutes to achieve that.

But even after taking in consideration the time it took for the [Boosts] to occur, in order for him to use their full accumulated power he had to activate the [Explosion], an skill that allowed him to enter an temporary empowered state and use his sacred gear to full effect.

But in that state if he were to lose focus or utilize a more powerful attack, the energy would be spent and his sacred gear would return to its original state.

Like Rias had said, he had to focus on stalling, for in his case time was both his greatest enemy and strongest ally.

Entering the Gym after Koneko his train of thought was diverted to how similar it was to the real deal, it was a perfect copy down to the smallest of details. If someone were to tell him that the battle was happening in the actual school grounds he would believe then in a heartbeat.

"…Enemy." Koneko said simply the moment they entered the building, having already taken her martial arts stance.

"We know you are there, servants of Gremory! We watched you coming inside." A voice proclaimed boldly.

Walking to the middle of the central platform Issei saw that there were four Devils standing at the court.

A woman wearing a chinese dress, a pair of young looking twins, and the staff girl that had defeated him in the clubroom.

Thinking back to Rias explanation he remembered that the woman with the china dress is a [Rook], and the twins and the staff girl are [Pawns]. Nodding to himself he was glad that Rias deductions were proving right.

"…I will leave the [Pawns] to you, Ise-sempai, I will take care of the [Rook]."

"[Boosted Gear] standby." He said getting ready to do his part.

**[Boost!] **

Felling his power increasing the moment he heard those words Issei turned to face his opponents, who were also readying their weapons, a Boo-staff and a pair of chainsaws.

…What the hell! Was all he could think after seeing the twins choice in weaponry.

"Disassembling time!" The twins exclaim happily in a singsong manner.

The sight of a pair of girls rushing towards him while grinding chainsaws at the floor was all it took to shake Issei out of his stupor.

Dodging the first strike he tackled the second twin in order to gain some space between them.

Side stepping another strike Issei allowed a smile to appear on his face, a smile that quickly disappeared when the next strike of the other twin grazed his cheek.

Back stepping in a hurry he started to frantically dodge the speeding strikes before ducking under the staff that suddenly appeared just where his head was a second ago.

**[Boost!]**

With those words the flurry of strikes he was enduring seemed to slow down, allowing him to side step the twirling staff and roll out of the way of another chainsaw strike.

"This is so frustrating!"

"Why isn't it hitting him!?"

The chainsaw twins exclaimed in frustration while stepping on the floor violently.

"He is faster than before." The Staff wielder commented with a thoughtful look.

Issei smiled once again, he had trained hard in order to keep up with the rest of the peerage, so he had to win. He wouldn't be able to face Buchou and the others if he lost in the very start of the match!

Taking a quick look to the side he saw that Koneko was steadily taking her opponent apart in an impressive display of martial arts, even after Raiser's [Rook] had ignited her fists in an attempt to overpower her.

**[Boost!]**

"Let's do it, my Sacred Gear-kun!"

**[Explosion!]**

Feeling his whole body overflowing with power, Issei charged in other to use the temporary boost to the maximum.

"I will take care of you two first!" He said while punching one of the twins in the chest and sending her flying away.

"You! How dare you hit my Onee-chan!" The other twin shouted in anger swinging her chainsaw at his chest.

Dodging out of the way Issei hits her in the back sending her falling into the ground.

Sidestepping the blow from the staff wielder he closed the distance between them before hitting her as well, making her hit the wall next to the recovering twins.

"Geez! If we lose to a guy like him, Raiser-sama will get mad at us!"

"We will definitely disassemble you into pieces!"

The twins screamed in anger, readying their chainsaws to do a pincer attack.

But instead of taking any kind of stance Issei simply stood there, a gigantic grin on his face.

"Take this! My new ultimate technique! Dress Break!"

Following that proud announcement a loud shredding sound filled the Gym when suddenly the clothes of all three [Pawns] were ripped to pieces.

Raged screams fill the air when all three pawns duck down to the ground in order to protect what modesty they have left.

"Ahahahahaha! How's that!? This is my ultimate technique Dress Break! I just kept on imaging the girl's clothing getting blown away into pieces, so I spent all of the talent I have in making a technique that will make all of the girls naked!"

Issei proclaims his achievement, a prideful look on his face and blood running down his noose.

"...I misjudged you." Koneko says in a flat tone of voice while standing near her downed opponent.

Those simple words make Issei feel like he had just been impaled trough the heart, but before anything else can be said Rias voice sounds trough their transceivers.

[Ise, Koneko. Can you hear me? It's me Rias.]

"Yes! Both Koneko-chan and I are safe and doing really well right now!"

[That's good to hear, but Akeno's preparations are also complete! So I want you two to move accordingly with the plan! The next phase starts now!]

Upon hearing those words Issei and Koneko immediately dash towards the front doors of the Gym, exiting the building without giving a second glance to the enemies still inside.

Moments after they reach the doors a concentrated lightning storm hits the building. Lightning bold after lightning bolt hits the structure until with a deafening explosion the whole building collapses.

[Raiser Phoenix-sama's three [Pawns] and one [Rook] retires!] Grayfia voices sounds through the battlefield.

"We did it, Koneko-chan." Issei happily comments while trying to put his hand on her shoulder.

"…Please don't touch me." Koneko replies in a flat tone of voice while stepping away from him.

"Hahaha, don't worry. I won't use it on my comrades." He says trying to placate the small girl.

"…Even so, it is a very low technique." She replied without turning back, already starting to walk away.

Crouching low to the ground Issei started to drag his finger in the ground, tears in his eyes, wondering why she couldn't understand how magnificent his technique really was.

Issei's depressed musings about why no one understood his apparent genius were cut short when a mighty explosion hurtled him backwards.

Scrambling to his feet he saw that Koneko was laying in the middle of a crater, burn marks all over her body.

"K-Koneko-chan!"

Hurrying to her side and holding her in a comforting manner Issei desperately tried to find a way to help.

"…I'm sorry …I wanted to be of more use to Buchou and everyone…" The little girl said in a barely audible tone of voice, tears in her eyes.

"Y-You don't have to apologize! You were doing great! Just wait, once Asia arrives, she can heal you and…"

But before he can finish speaking Koneko's body is enveloped with light and disappears, leaving nothing amidst his arms.

[Rias Gremory-sama's [Rook] retires.]

"Hahaha, when you hunt a prey the best time to take them down is when the prey is careless due to their success. It's enough for us to 'sacrifice' many of our pieces in order to take down one of you, your group has a small number of members to begin with and that alone will be enough to give a huge damage to our group. Besides even if you defeat us, you cannot defeat Raiser-sama. It's useless to resist." A voice says from above while laughing in amusement at the scene below.

Looking up Issei sees a busty woman with long wavy purple hair that falls in front of her face covering her left eye floating above him, wings spread afar and a cruel smirk on her face.

"Come down heeere! I'll be your opponent!" He screams in anger, the plan all but forgotten in his rage, making her pay for hurting Koneko-chan the only thought in his mind.

"Fight you? Know your place you inferior being!" Yubelluna retorts in disgust while making the ground in front of Issei explode with a flick of her wrist, sending him tumbling backwards.

Pointing her finger towards Issei a ball of flames forming at its tip, she looked at Issei with sadistic glee.

"You are unworthy of my presence, disappear from my sight!"

But before the sphere of flames could reach him a sudden lightning bolt crosses the clear skies, intercepting the attack before it could hit with a resounding explosion.

"Ara ara. I will be your opponent Yubelluna-san, or would you prefer me to call you the 'Bomb Queen'?"

Akeno daintily proclaims while positioning herself between Yubelluna and Issei, a kind smile in her face that was completely contradicted by the sharp look in her eyes.

"You would call me such a vulgar name? No matter, I had hoped to fight you in this game 'Priestess of Thunder', let's see how you fare against a real [Queen]!"

Yubelluna shouts, making dozens of fire spheres to appear around her.

"Ise-kun, go meet up with the others, I will take care of this." Akeno calmly says, lightning cracking at her hands and a faint golden aura enveloping her body.

"B-But…!" Issei tried to protest but is cut short when Akeno looks him in the eyes.

"Ise-kun. You have your own role, correct? Go then and fulfill it, for this matter is my own role to fulfill." Akeno says in a serious tone, dropping her smile, her eyes resolute.

Remembering the plan Issei nods in agreement before running away from the two [Queens]. "Akeno-san! I will leave this place to you! Please avenge Koneko-chan!"

Without taking her eyes from her opponent Akeno nods in return, lightning enveloping her body.

Running with all his might Issei proceed towards the sports grounds, leaving behind the fierce roars of thunder and the violent sounds of explosions.

* * *

This is turning out to be more challenging than I predicted, Akeno thought flying close to the ground at a fast pace in order to avoid the exploding barrage being fired against her, before doing a sudden turn and unleashing twin thunderbolts against her opponent.

Speeding to the side so as to avoid the strike Yubelluna started to fire continuously at Akeno's general direction trying to overwhelm her with the sheer number of attacks.

"Give up, you can't possible defeat me!"Yubelluna said with a manic smile on her face.

Deciding that answering her would be a waste of time and effort Akeno started to close the distance to one of the few still standing walls from the Gym, attempting to obstruct Yubelluna's line of sight with the debris and dust her explosions were causing.

"You can't hide from me!" She screamed while causing the entire wall to disappear in the face of the onslaught of dozens of her exploding spheres.

Kicking against a large piece of the wall that was falling towards her, Akeno suddenly changed directions and unleashed her lightning against her surprised opponent.

Taken aback by the sudden maneuver Yubelluna hastily dived to avoid the incoming Lightning bolts.

"Your reputation is well deserved 'Priestess of Thunder' but you will have to do better than that to hit me!" She sneered before simultaneously firing dozens of fireballs at Akeno in a literal wall of fire.

With a mighty flap of her wings Akeno raised above the barrage before gracefully twirling in the air and unleashing a veritable thunderstorm against the opponent below her.

Forced to stop her own assault or else risk being hit by her opponents overwhelming display of power, Yubelluna dived even closer to the ground while frantically dodging the thunderstorm that had been unleashed against her.

Gazing at Akeno's form staying above her with anger she created a great sphere of flames above her, far exceeding the size of her previous ones, being even bigger than Yubelluna's own body size.

"Disappear from my sight!" She hollered, hurling the gigantic fireball against Akeno.

Diving at the direct path of the massive attack that was speeding towards her, Akeno narrowed her eyes in concentration.

Nearing the attack she dodge at the very last second, gracefully twisting in the air and around the speeding sphere of flames without losing any of her own speed, passing mere inches away from the deathly sphere while feeling the intense heat against her skin.

Quickly approaching her surprised looking opponent, while hearing a deafening explosion happening where she had been moments before, Akeno allowed a sadistic smile to appear at her face, lightning gathering at her fists and all around her.

Stopping right next to Yubelluna's side Akeno raised both her lightning enclosed hands before calmly proclaiming her attack.

"Spark Sphere."

With those two simple words all the lightning she had been accumulating ever since destroying the Gym was unleashed in a torrential wave of pure electricity, creating a 30 foot sphere of destructive lightning in the sky, with Yubelluna at the very center of the storm.

Eagerly listening to her enemy's screams Akeno couldn't stop her smile from growing as she gazed at Yubelluna's charred body plummeting towards the ruined remains of the Gym where it disappeared into the dust cloud.

With this they were one step closer to victory. Yubelluna had been Raiser's strongest piece by far, with her down taking out the others would be a simple if tiring matter, leaving only Raiser himself in their path.

Taking a deep breath she tried to recover some of her spent energy before proceeding to help the others.

That attack had taken a lot out of her, using all the power she had managed to store after destroying the Gym while also taking a large chunk of her own demonic-power. It would take a few moments before she was ready to fight again.

Closing her eyes in order to calm her heartbeat, Akeno failed to notice the quickly approaching fireball that was heading towards her back until it was too late.

The resulting explosion sent her hurtling towards the ground, being quickly followed by three more spheres shoot against her downed form.

Barely lifting her head, Akeno saw a form appearing from the dust cloud.

Confidently walking forward Yubelluna approached the crater where Akeno was laying, her face distorted in anger, one hand pointed towards Akeno, fire dancing at her palm, while the other was tightly holding a small vial.

Barely being able to believe what she was seeing Akeno noticed that there was not a single injury in sight. If it wasn't for the destroyed state of her clothes she would think that Yubelluna had never even been hit by her attack.

"How dare you! How dare you force me to use Raiser-sama's precious tears!" She screamed in anger.

Sudden realization filled Akeno's downed form.

Phoenix Tears, a substance said to be capable of instantly healing all wounds. A substance so powerful that it was severely limited in the [Rating Games], each team only being able to take two small vials into a match, but due to their rarity and value it was uncommon for peerages to take even one vial into battle even amidst the higher rankings.

They should have predicted that Raiser being a member of the Phenex clan would have provided his servants with the precious tears.

"Disappear!" Yubelluna hollered throwing a fireball towards her.

Seeing the fast approaching attack, Akeno closed her eyes in regret, she had failed.

[Rias Gremory-sama's [Queen] retires.]

* * *

Quickly following the Peerage two [Knights] Kirito prepared himself for the confrontation that was fast approaching.

If Rias predictions were correct then the sports grounds would be a key area in the early stages of the game, and as such Raiser surely would send the bulk of his forces there.

At the very least they would face five opponents there, but that number could easily rise to up to ten enemies depending in how much value Raiser was putting at the area.

Taking a look at the many small buildings and countless windows facing them from the other side of the vast open field that was the sports ground, Kirito couldn't help but agree with Asuna's early assessment.

A skilled [Bishop] taking precise shoots from a distance while acting from cover would turn out to be a formidable foe to face in this conditions, especially while under the protection of close range fighters to keep the enemies at a distance.

"Raiser servants are probably waiting at the sport clubs clubrooms at the other side of the field." Kiba casually commented.

"Indeed, it would be foolish of them to forsake the prime marksman conditions this field provides them by standing out. At close quarters the chance of hitting their own members is far too great, it makes a lot more sense to snipe from the back and lower our strength before deploying their close range fighters to block our advance when we get close to the other side." Asuna replied in a matter of fact tone of voice, eyes scanning the field for any possible advantage.

Kirito nearly laughed at the look Kiba was giving Asuna. But it wasn't surprising, seeing the normally calm, cheerful and polite Asuna downing her vice-commander persona was something that you had to get used to.

After all, after planning, organizing and them leading dozens of people into life or death battles for over two years Asuna had develop an analytical mind and strategic capabilities that could put most professional soldiers to shame. Not to mention a core of steel that allowed her to keep a cool head no matter the situation.

It was a very common occurrence amidst the best clearers, those who truly risked their lives in a daily basis, the development of what Argo called a 'battle persona', the ability to focus only at the occurrence, temporarily forsaking the bits of their personalities that were detrimental to their survival in other to maximize their chances.

He was used to that martial side of Asuna, after-all he did something similar every time he faced a challenging battle, but to others he guessed it would be a little unnerving.

His musings were cut short by the very surprised look that appeared at Asuna's face. Searching the field for the reason for her reaction he instantly saw it.

Forsaking every single advantage that Asuna had just carefully explained, a young woman with brown hair and green eyes, wearing a full set of silver armor with black accents and equipped with a broadsword and a dagger, was confidently walking towards their position, before stopping at the middle of the open area.

"I am Karlamine, one of Raiser-sama's [Knights]! I hereby challenge one of you to a duel in accordance to my knight's honor!"

The stupefied look Asuna was sporting was a clear indication that she hadn't seen that one coming. Understandable since him himself was having trouble with the idea.

A request for a duel in the middle of what was for all intents and purposes a battle royal between two teams? Where did that come from?

His personal puzzlement was only intensified as Kiba solemnly steeped forward before declaring in a loud voice.

"I Kiba, one of Rias-sama's [Knights] hereby accept your challenge under the weight of my knight's honor!"

And with that Kiba started to move towards the middle of the field, without a single strike being made to stop his advance.

Seeing the other members of Raiser's peerage that had showed themselves at the far end of the field Kirito traded a puzzled look with Asuna before shrugging his shoulders and following after Kiba.

If they were willing to allow them to cross half the distance without opposition he wouldn't be the one to complain, even if the frown Asuna was showing made it clear that she wanted to smack them all in the head with Sun-Tzu's 'The art of war'.

Doing a quick count of the opponent's numbers Kirito frowned. There were eight of them, two [Knights], two [Bishops], one [Rook] and three [Pawns], half of Raiser's full peerage had been sent to secure the area.

"Karlamine, what are you doing!" A kimono wearing girl shouted, if he wasn't mistaken she was a [Bishop].

"Do not interfere! This is a [Knights] duel!" Karlamine calmly said, unsheathing her broadsword, eyes fixed at Kiba's sword wielding form.

"Ignore her, she allowed all that meaningless knights babble to infect her brain, let's take the other two out and then if she loses we take out the last one." Said a young woman with long black hair arranged into five thin ponytails going around her head, a Great sword, a Zweihänder, strapped to her back, the second [Knight].

"Whatever, it's not like what you do will matter in the end; I'm not getting involved anyway."Said a blond girl in a pink Victorian style dress in a bored manner before calmly walking to the sidelines and taking a seat in one of the spectator benches at the edge of the field, the other [Bishop] Raiser's sister Ravel.

He really couldn't believe what he was seeing, they had forsaken the field advantage, allowed them to close their distance with no opposition and now one of them was forsaking the fight?

Raiser and his [Queen] had to be truly strong, for strategy and teamwork clearly hadn't been the way he won his former matches. If they had been a party at Aincrad they probably would have died at the first floor due to their lack of coordination!

Nonetheless they could use this, despite her quirks Kiba's opponent appeared to be the strongest of the group and with the other girl basically forfeiting it was six against two.

"Kirito take down the [Rook] and the [Pawns], I will take down the [Knight] and the [Bishop]." Asuna commanded already readying her rapier for the assault.

Focusing at his opponents he took notice that they all appeared to be hand to hand fighters. Lowering his stance, swords by his side he centered his resolve.

"You think you can take down all of us?!" One of the [Pawns] asked incredulously, standing around ten foot away from him having yet to even take a fighting stance.

They were underestimating them, their final mistake. You never underestimate an opponent no matter how unassuming or unthreatening he may look.

Gathering his demonic-power in his swords Kirito disappeared in a sudden burst of movement that belittled his piece, before appearing before the incredulous [Pawn].

"Sonic Leap!" He proclaimed bringing his dark enveloped swords down in a powerful arc, hitting his unsuspecting enemy across the chest in one clean movement.

[Raiser Phenex-sama's [Pawn] retires.]

"What the hell?!"

"What's with that speed?! Isn't he a [Rook]?!"

The twin cat girl [Pawns] screamed in shock.

The opponents [Rook], a woman wearing a mask at the left side of her face, was far more decisive, wasting no time with pointless questions she jumped to his position leg raised and ready to fall in an axe-kick.

Meeting the falling strike with a strike of his own he weathered the blow before promptly countering with his left blade.

"Vertical!" His sword blurred upwards with frightening speed, and despite her quick dodge a shallow cut still appeared at her left shoulder.

Looking at the wound with curiosity, she graced Kirito with a smile. "Not bad, not bad at all! My name is Isabela, let's see what else you can do!" With those words she took a fighting stance, her eyes shining at the prospect of fighting a strong opponent.

Looking around Kirito saw that the twins had finally composed themselves and were carefully approaching both his sides in order to box him in.

At the far side of the field Kiba was trading a series of fast paced blows with his opponent that had apparently set her sword on fire. And slightly closer to his location Asuna was dodging a series of fireballs and shockwaves that her opponents were continuously firing in order to try and keep her away, their bodies covered with shallow cuts.

Fast approaching, Isabela engaged Kirito in a flurry of strikes punches and kicks in a impressive display of martial arts. Blocking the strikes with his twin swords Kirito held his ground, patiently waiting for a chance to counter while keeping careful watch at the twins that were circling his side.

[Raiser Phoenix-sama's three [Pawns] and one [Rook] retires!] Grayfia voices sounds through the battlefield.

A smile appearing at his face Kirito ducked close to the ground before unleashing an fast attack at his opponent's torso, "Slant!" forcing her to gracelessly roll out of the way. Rias plan was right on track.

Before he could capitalize upon the opponent's vulnerability he was forced to quickly back step in order to avoid two kicks aimed at his head coming from both his sides as the twins engaged him in an impressive display of team work.

The moment one of their attacks finished the other was already striking, leaving little room for countering without being exposed to the other's strike.

But despite their expert coordination they appeared to have forgotten a very important fact, he was a [Rook].

Ignoring the second [Pawn] incoming strike he advanced for the twin that was just recovering from launching her own kick. Weathering the blow to the chest he approached the nervous looking girl, black enveloped swords ready to strike.

"Horizontal Square!" While the four chained attack momentarily left a trail of darkness in the shape of a square around the girl.

[Raiser Phenex-sama's [Pawn] retires.]

Taking a quick look at the [Knight's] battles he saw that Asuna was still untouched and pressuring her opponents while Kiba was apparently negating his adversary flame sword with a strange ice sword of his own.

They could do this!

[Rias Gremory-sama's [Rook] retires.]

That announcement brought his growing smile to a halt. Koneko had been taken down, that meant that Issei was on his own, tightening his grip on his swords he focused at the battle, they had to wrap this up quickly.

"Kirito, Switch!" Asuna shouted already speeding past him, her Rapier raised and glowing a deep blue as she readied her strike.

Not wasting a moment Kirito rushed towards Asuna's confused former opponents.

Ducking low to avoid a fireball shoot by the panicking [Bishop] he quickly approached the snarling [Knight].

"Don't underestimate me!" She screamed bringing her sword against the ground with all her strength, causing a massive shockwave to speed towards him.

Without breaking his stride Kirito twisted to the side, avoiding the shock-wave and approaching his opponent, swords aglow.

"Double circular!" He said dashing forward while making a full circle with his body, swords hitting his opponent in the chest twice in quick succession.

[Raiser Phenex-sama's one [Knight] and one [Pawn] retires.]

Seeing a movement in the corner of his eyes Kirito turned to see Issei had arrived, sacred gear already activated and was apparently confronting Ravel, although no hostile movements had been made by either part yet.

Side stepping another fireball he dashed forwards, it was time to end this.

[Raiser Phenex-sama's [Rook] retires.]

Dodging three more fireballs he closed the distance and unleashed his attack.

"Horizontal!"

[Raiser Phenex-sama's one [Bishop] and one [Knight] retires.]

Taking a look at the field Kirito confirmed that only Ravel remained, and she truly had no intention to fight if the calm way she appeared to be talking to Issei was any indication.

[Rias Gremory-sama's [Queen] retires.]

That brought him to a halt, Akeno had been taken down. The probable culprit being the enemy's [Queen], hopefully she had managed to weaken Yubelluna before being taken down.

"So what is the plan?" Kiba asked while walking towards him, a few cuts and burns across his body but overall looking fine.

"Buchou is not answering to the transceiver and that worries me." Asuna said standing by his side, not a single mark on her person. "The enemy's numbers have been greatly depleted; making both of us guard this area would be a waste, Kiba go quickly and find out what happened to Rias and Asia while I will hold this area, Kirito, go ahead and take Issei to the enemy base."

Starting to nod his agreement Kirito felt a shiver run down his spine. He had felt that many times before in Aincrad when something was about to happen, when a hidden danger was lurking. And if there was something Kirito trusted, were his instincts.

Without stopping to think he twisted, hitting Asuna with the flat of his blade and throwing her away from him and Kiba with all his strength.

The very next moment his world exploded in a sea of flames.

* * *

Issei really didn't know what to think. Here he was ready to fight, sacred gear up and running, four [Boosts] ready to use, only to find out his opponent had absolutely no desire to fight.

Ravel Phenex simply sat by his side while calmly talking to him in a slightly arrogant manner. Talking about how this was the Phenex clan era and how their immortality and healing tears made then all but invincible at the [Rating Games], and a lot of other stuff that he really couldn't make heads or tails about.

Looking at the field he saw that the others had finished their own battles and appeared to be discussing what to do next.

Deciding he should probably listen he started to walk towards them when suddenly Kirito twisted and shoved Asuna away with his sword.

Indignation filling him he opened his mouth to scream that that was no way to treat a beautiful girl, but the words stopped in his tongue when the field where Kirito and Kiba were standing exploded in a sea of flames.

[Rias Gremory-sama's [Knight] retires.]

Looking around he saw Asuna had regained her feet and was darting towards where Kirito had been, while frantically searching for the source of the attack.

When the dust was blown away by the wind Kirito was visible again. Body battered and burned, he was kneeling, swords piercing the ground while he valiantly tried to stand despite his injuries, gaze locked at one of the school buildings.

For standing on the roof of the closest building, flame's floating around her and a condescending look on her face was Raiser's [Queen] Yubelluna.

"Oh my, it seems you survived the blast. Let's fix that, shall we?" She said while flicking one finger and sending one of the orbs that was floating around her straight at Kirito chest.

Crossing his swords before him Kirito endured the explosion before dropping to the ground, swords falling at his side.

"You…!" Asuna snarled, looking straight at Yubelluna with a murderous look at her face, darting at her direction.

Looking at the approaching [Knight] with condescension Yubelluna started to shoot her orbs from her perch at the building roof.

Using her speed to doge the barrage Asuna drew closer and closer to the building, gaze never wavering from her target.

Issei had no idea how she was going to reach Yubelluna's position; being a new devil they had no knowledge of flight after-all.

What Asuna did next made his jaw drop in surprise.

With a powerful leap Asuna jumped towards one of the building walls where upon making contacted with its surface she promptly kicked off jumping to the next wall, and the next, and the next.

Like some kind of game character Asuna reached the roof after a series of wall jumps without slowing down in the slightest.

Despite her surprise Yubelluna launched her remaining orbs while spreading her wings to escape the approaching threat.

Weaving between the strikes Asuna raised her rapier, blade filled with a furious blue energy, and attacked her fleeing enemy.

"Star Splash!" She proclaimed in defiance, her sword all but disappearing as eight flash looking strikes plummeted towards Yubelluna at an incredible speed.

Despite her injuries Yubelluna managed to take wing, rising above the reach of Asuna's awaiting rapier.

Looking at her injured form Yubelluna sharply turned her face to look at Asuna, rage distorting her face.

"How dare you! You inferior being!" She screamed raising her hands and forming a massive fireball above her form. "Disappear into oblivion!"

But before she could unleash her strike a black shadow appeared behind her.

Despite his injuries Kirito had taken wing and flown towards the enemy, black enveloped swords by his side and ready to strike.

"Double Circular!" He exclaimed twisting his body and hitting Yubelluna in the chest, throwing her towards the ground bellow, before dismissing his wings and collapsing on the roof.

Jumping to the field bellow Asuna darted towards her opponent in order to take her out before she could take off again.

But her charge was brought to a halt when Yubelluna battered form raised to one knee and proceeded to do a literal carpet-bombing of the entire sports field, keeping Asuna at bay.

"Ravel! Your Tears!" Yubelluna demanded, not stopping her onslaught for even a moment.

Isse saw Ravel take a small vial from a chain around her neck before carelessly tossing it to the awaiting [Queen].

Seeing the small vial flowing through the air Issei remembered Ravel earlier boosting. Phoenix tears were a miraculous substance capable of instantly healing injuries.

They had to stop her before she drank that! But how to do it?

She was too far away, if he were to shoot his demonic-power at her she would see it and evade.

Kirito could barely move, and even Asuna impressive speed was not enough to pass the field of explosions that separated her from Yubelluna.

If only she was even faster, if he could only increase her speed, if only he could boost her…

And then suddenly Issei knew what he had to do, the knowledge of how to do so appearing in his mind like it had always been there.

With a crimson light his sacred gear changed, covering his whole arm, a second gem appearing along its surface.

"Asuna! Take her out!" Issei screamed while pointing his arm towards Asuna. "[Boosted Gear], [Gift]!"

**[Transfer!]**

With those words he shoots a ball of demonic-power at Asuna, the moment it connects a fierce blue aura exploded around her form.

Taking one incredulous look at her body, Asuna locked her gaze at Yubelluna's position across the exploding field, determination filling her features.

The next moment, it was over.

There was no flash of movement, no sudden blur, absolutely no indication whatsoever that she had even moved.

It was as if Asuna had moved in the moment between moments.

One moment she was standing there rapier raised, the next, she was across the field, sword piercing through Yubelluna's chest.

An incredulous look on her face, Yubelluna dropped the vial she had just grabbed, before being enveloped in light and disappearing.

[Raiser Phenex-sama's [Queen] retires.]

Quickly grabbing the vial, Asuna disappeared towards Kirito's location.

A smile on his face Issei nearly jumped in fright when Ravel spoke at his side, having momentarily forgotten she was still there.

"Your group is more impressive than I thought, but in the end you are just delaying the inevitable." She proceeded in a bored tone of voice. "It seems that Onii-sama is already fighting Rias-sama, since he challenged her due to doing unexpectedly well in the battle. In the end it is over, she can't possibly defeat Onii-sama."

Hearing those words Issei noticed that the top of the main school building was overwhelmed by continues jets of flames and blasts of Rias dark-crimson power of destruction.

"We have to go back her up." Kirito said, completely healed by the Phoenix tears.

[Raiser Phenex-sama's two [Pawns] promote into [Queen].]

Those words brought them to a halt. The two remaining [Pawns] had apparently managed to sneak past them and use their promotion skill. If two more [Queens] were to join the fray things would not bode well for Rias chances.

"Issei quickly go and use promotion! Then go help Rias!" Asuna commanded seriously.

Taking one quick look at Ravel's uninterested expression, Issei nodded before starting to run towards the student council's room, leaving behind two resolute pair of eyes to take care of the new threat.

* * *

Quickly climbing towards the school roof Issei felt the power flowing trough him. The [Rook] promotion he had used in the battle against the Fallen-Angels was nothing compared to the power he felt now due to his promotion into [Queen].

Shoving the door's open he saw Raiser's head being blown away by a sphere of destruction, only for it to reappear in a flash of flames completely untouched.

"Buchouuuu, Issei reporting for duty!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, fists raised and ready to attack.

Asia was standing by the side, quickly treating Rias wounds, a worried look on her face.

Rias looked exhausted, her clothes torn and burned, but thanks to Asia's healing her body was fine.

Raiser looked perfectly fine, even his clothes looked completely unruffled, as if he had just get dressed and left for a morning walk.

"Tch. An annoying insect came up. Give up Rias it's useless, you can't possible defeat me. You will end up using all your energy long before you can exhaust me." Raiser said in a contemptuous tone of voice, completely ignoring Issei's entrance

The only answer he got was another sphere of destruction blowing his head away.

"Buchou rest up and leave this to me! Kirito and Asuna are holding out the other pieces so we just have to take down this fried chicken!"

"You insolent insect!" Raiser snarled, sending a jet of flames at Issei's direction.

"Let's do this [Boosted gear]!" He said rolling out of the way.

**[Explosion!]**

Feeling his body fill with power Issei darted towards Raiser's uncaring form.

Swinging a fist at Raiser's face Issei smiled when he saw Raiser arrogantly taking the blow.

The moment his fist connected Raiser's head disappeared in a shower of flames. Issei had managed to accumulate twelve [Boosts] in his way up, and after his promotion to [Queen] that level of power was hardly something to scoff at.

"You…" Raiser's tried to speak but was stopped by another of Issei's fists.

Issei hits three more times before a sudden explosion of flames sends him flying away, giving Raiser time to reform properly.

"You have grown strong boy, very well I shall face you properly!" Raiser says, coating his body in flames and rushing towards Issei.

They start to exchange blows at a fast pace, Issei's every hit making a part of Raiser's body to disappear into flames and reform immediately, but despite that he doesn't slow down in the slightest.

Taking a blow to his chest without a care, Raiser's close in with Issei before hitting him in the gut with a flame enclosed fist, sending him crashing against a wall.

"Give up boy, it's futile, you can't win!" He says arrogantly, calmly walking towards Issei.

"Shut up!" Issei replied getting up despite the pain he was feeling. "Scum like you doesn't deserve to be with Rias-buchou! I will protect Rias virginity!"

And with that he charged at Raiser, once again engaging in combat.

Hit after hit is delivered, and time and again Raiser's reforms, sensing that he isn't making progress Issei retreats and gather his demonic-power at his hands.

"Dragon Shot!"Issei screams, firing a huge blast of crimson energy at Raiser and taking out half of the school building in the process.

**[Reset.]**

Issei fells the power leaving his body, looking at the massive dust filled crater before him he figures it's over.

"Impressive boy, very impressive." Raiser says walking out of the dust cloud.

His still doesn't appear to have any injury on his body, but a slightly winded look and sweat at his brow, make it noticeable that the shot had some effect.

"But now it's over."

Dashing forward Raiser starts to lay hit after hit against Issei's body.

Knowing he can't go down, Issei tries to dodge, but without the [Boosts] the blows are simply moving too fast.

**[Boost!]**

Issei proceeds to move slightly faster, but is not enough, Raiser's unrelenting assault continues.

"I'm not allowing you time to reach such power again!" Raiser's declares before hitting Issei with a heavy, flame encased blow and throwing him against the ground.

Laying inside the crater Issei could feel his vision growing darker.

Desperately trying to get up, Issei refused to accept defeat, it couldn't end like this! Everyone was counting on him! Rias-buchou was counting on him! Even if his body was turned to shreds he wouldn't allow it to end like this!

**[Is this what you truly desire?]**

Suddenly getting up, Issei looked for the source of the resounding voice, noticing that the pain had disappeared.

Red. That was all he could see. Everywhere he looked it was filled with the same red landscape.

**[Never give up, never bow down! To do otherwise would be an insult to our power!]**

Looking up he sees the source of the voice. Looking at him is a gigantic red dragon, its head alone bigger than the entire Occult Research Clubroom. His shock is only magnified by the realization that all the red he was seeing was in fact the dragon's body.

**[So? What do you have to say? Looking like that you shall never become strong!]**

"Who are you?" Issei asked, fighting of the shock of talking with a huge dragon.

**[Welsh-Dragon, Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor. Hyoudou Issei, I'm the one that resides inside of your left arm.]**

"You are my sacred gear?!" Issei exclaims in shock.

Nodding his answer Ddraig continued.

**[Tell me Hyoudou Issei, do you wish to accept the pathetic result that fate is about to bestow upon you? Or are you willing to triumph over destiny no matter the cost?]**

Looking at the proud mythical being Issei realizes that he has no idea what is going on. But one thing was certain, no matter what he couldn't let Rias-buchou down, he had to beat Raiser!

**[You are an interesting being Hyoudou Issei. So let the price be paid! Let our powers be one and our enemies fall!]**

Issei heard all that in fascination when suddenly a burning feeling overcame his left arm.

**[Learn to use our true power. Train and grow stronger, for one day the 'White One' shall come to face us in combat.]**

Combat? 'White One'? What was he talking about?

**[You will know when the time is right, for it's our destinies to fight them. Get stronger for that day. Now go and show those that laughed at us the true power of the existence called 'Dragon'!]**

Blinking his eyes Issei noticed that he was once again at the crater in the school roof.

The idea it had been all a crazy dream disappeared when he looked at his left arm. His scale covered red left arm.

His eyes resolute he got up, he knew what he had to do.

"How are you still standing?!" Raiser asked in shock.

"Shine! [Over boost]!" Issei proclaims raising his left arm.

**[Over Booster!]**

A fierce crimson light is emitted from the gems in his sacred gear, the light enveloping Issei completely.

When it faded a draconic looking red armor covered his entire body.

**[Boost!]**

Hurrying towards Raiser Issei started to attack, knowing that once again time was everything.

**[Boost!]**

The power he received from Ddraig was incredible but also had severe limitations.

**[Boost!]**

The scale mail provided by the [Over Boost] greatly increased his overall power while simultaneously allowing him to forsake the ten-second period between [Boosts].

**[Boost!]**

But its downside was that it lasted only ten seconds and after that he would be unable to use his sacred gear for three days.

**[Boost!]**

A sink or swim method, all or nothing. He thought while hitting Raiser without pause.

**[Boost!]**

But that was fine, for Rias-buchou he would do the impossible!

**[Boost!]**

For Rias-buchou he would take down a Phoenix!

**[Boost!]**

Weathering the flames Raiser was shooting at him, he proceeded on his onslaught.

**[Boost!]**

Throwing Raiser against the wall, he prepared to end this.

**[Boost!]**

**[Boost!]**

**[Boost!]**

Twelve [Boosts] his safety limit, but for Rias-buchou sake that didn't matter.

**[Boost!]**

**[Boost!]**

[Raiser Phenex-sama's two [Pawns] retires.]

**[Boost!]**

Everyone was giving their all, he could do no less!

**[Boost!]**

**[Boost!]**

**[Boost!]**

**[Boost!]**

Feeling his muscles being torn to shreds and his body breaking down, Issei unleashed his attack.

"Rias-buchou is mine! Dragon Shot!"

A gargantuan wave of crimson energy flew towards Raiser, annihilating everything in its path and shaking the very foundations of the dimension they were in.

His armor disappearing in a shower of red sparks, Issei dropped unable to keep standing, but a pair of arms grabbed him before he could hit the ground.

"You idiot! What were you thinking?!" Rias asked in distress seeing all the injuries in his body and his scale covered left arm.

Kneeling at his side Asia quickly started to heal his injuries.

[Raiser Phenex-sama has been defeated; the battle goes to Rias Gremory-sama.]

"I made Rias-buchou a promise." He said trying to smile, but stopped when the movement caused an intense wave of pain to flow through his body.

"You are an idiot." Rias said with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. "But you are my idiot!" And with those words she leaned forward giving Issei a quick kiss on the lips.

Smiling despite the pain Issei basked at the soft feeling of Rias lips. His path to become the strongest [Pawn], solidifying in his heart.

They had won; the [Rating Game] was over.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **This was a truly big chapter. I just keep thinking of things I wanted to put in it and before I knew it, it was this size.

Like Akeno's battle for instance, I don't remember ever seeing someone put it in a story and I thought that Akeno deserved to have her battle in here. All we ever hear is that she lost due to Yubelluna using the Phoenix Tears.

I'm quite happy with the result, the [Rating Game] ended up shaping up quite nicely in my opinion.

Henceforth we shall be venturing through uncharted waters but don't worry, I have every intention of keeping this story way beyond Raiser's Arc. Point in fact I'm already working on the next chapter.

Thanks for reading and please review.


	7. Chapter 7 - A Familiar's Face

**Author's notes:** Firstly I would like to thank everyone that favorite, followed or reviewed the story. And a special thanks to all the reviewers, thanks to you we have passed the one hundred reviews mark!

Secondly I would like to inform that I will be taking the suggestion of some of my reviewers and henceforth I will be putting the characters thoughts in '_Italic'_.

"Talking"

'_Thoughts'_

**[Boosted Gear/Ddraig]**

Lastly: **I do not own Highschool DxD or SwordArtOnline**.

* * *

**A Familiar's Face**

While carefully arranging the contents of the basket at her side on the blanket she had already spread, Asuna smiled remembering how all that troublesome forced engagement nonsense between Rias and Raiser had disappeared upon their victory in the [Rating Game], just like a nightmare upon dawn.

They had given their all, and pushed past their limits in order to challenge Rias fate, and in the end they had succeeded. But that didn't mean there hadn't been costs to the victory, Issei's unbelievable act of taking down a member of the Phenex clan had extracted a heavy toll.

After the battle nearly all his muscles had been torn to shreds and there had been serious internal injury to some of his organs too. Even under the power of Asia [Twilight Healing] it had took Issei over nine hours to be finally healed.

Considering the fact that Asia could heal deep cuts and broken bones in a matter of seconds that truly showed how grave the situation had been.

And despite Asia best efforts Issei's left hand was still covered in scales and looking like a claw, a dragon's claw.

But Issei had been completely unrepentant about his little suicide gambit, the risk all but forgotten due to Rias kiss.

He was so lost in his euphoria at the memory of the kiss that he seriously was not concerned by the change.

He wasn't even a little worried by the fact that he had apparently made a deal with an extremely powerful being that supposedly lived inside his sacred gear, without even trying to understand what that would entail or its possible consequences.

Shaking her head and giving up at understanding how the peerage's only [Pawn] mind worked, Asuna finished setting down their lunch.

Rias had given them all the day off in thanks for their efforts in both the training and the match.

Although Asuna suspected that, if Rias mutterings about which was the best way to move in with Issei was any indicator, there had been some ulterior motive to that little bit of kindness.

Rias motivation aside, the beautiful weather and clear skies where the reason why she and Kirito had decided about having an outdoor lunch in the park and invited Koneko along in order to cheer her up, since she had been downtrodden due to being ambushed by Yubelluna.

Asuna had to admit that, when she had first joined the peerage, she had been suspicious of how close Kirito was being with the little girl.

Kirito was a very reserved person after all, opening up to only the select few that he trusted. But despite that he had formed a very strong bond with his fellow [Rook] in less than a week.

But her misgivings had completely disappeared shortly after meeting her.

Koneko for all her strength and stoic exterior was in fact just a kind little girl, a kind little girl that had no family and was hiding her pain beneath a mask of strength.

Just being near the little girl tingled all of Asuna's maternal instincts. She wanted to make her feel safe and happy, to make those little smiles that had been getting ever more common since they had started to dote upon her to never leave her face.

And she was sure that Kirito was the same, resulting in the small [Rook] being more often than not near their side.

She didn't know if Kirito had made the connection or not, but Koneko and Yui had a lot in common in regards at how they had entered into the couple's life.

They hadn't been able to spend much time with Yui due to the intensive training for the match, but before that she had been truly ecstatic at finding out that, in her words, she had gained a new sister.

Kirito's gob smacked reaction to the statement had been truly amusing, but the little AI had a point. After all, wasn't having a picnic in the park something a family would normally do?

'_Even if doing a bare-handed super strengthened spar in a secluded part of the park before eating kind of destroyed any normalcy the scene could have had.'_ Asuna thought looking at all the craters the two [Rooks] had left around while they were trying to hit each other.

Kirito had wanted to test if his in game martial arts skill was as effective as their swordskills. His reasoning being that they couldn't have Kiba near them all the time to provide weaponry, and he didn't want to be caught in a helpless situation.

'_Why can't he just admit that he is a training nut?'_ She thought with fondness, while watching Kirito avoid a chain of strikes delivered by Koneko before trying to use his height advantaged to take her down.

But Koneko was proving the gap between someone that use martial arts as a complementary skill, and someone that used martial arts as their main skill.

Easily waving around the blow Koneko grabbed Kirito's extended arm before throwing him against the ground and immobilizing him in a stranglehold.

"All right you two, stop it already. Come and let's eat." Asuna said, stopping the match despite her own amusement at seeing Kirito being pressed against the ground by such a small girl.

The speed in which both of them appeared at her side made her wonder what kind of [Rook] pieces Rias had used.

"Itadakimasu!"

"…Itadakimasu."

They both said before happily eating the food she had prepared, their eyes sparkling at the taste.

Smiling in bemusement Auna started to eat herself, wondering why everyone had such over the top reactions to her food. They were simple sandwiches after all, but both [Rooks] were devouring them like it was the food of the Gods.

'_It wasn't like she was some amazing cook or something… was she?'_ She thought while all the food she had prepared was disappearing at an astonishing rate.

* * *

Rias was quite happy with how things turned out.

The Gremory family plans had been put to rest, the marriage had been cancelled and she was free to live her life as her own person. All thanks to her peerage, her real family.

Against all odds they had won against Raiser at the [Rating Game]. The fact that a Devil that was not yet fully matured and had never even participated in the game had defeated a member of the Phenex clan had surely raised quite a few eyebrows in the underworld.

'_This will show them for underestimating my peerage.'_ She thought with a smile. All the new members of her peerage were simply remarkable, Asia and her healing ability, Kirito and Asuna and their sword skills, and of course dear Issei and his Longinus.

Sensing that the rest of the peerage was approaching the clubroom, Rias rested her tea cup on the table and waited with Akeno and Kiba for their arrival.

Shortly after, an angry looking Koneko entered the building followed by a worried Asia, a bemused Kirito, a stern Asuna, and a completely bruised Issei.

"…You reap what you sow" Koneko muttered while sitting at the couch.

"Seriously, what were you thinking? Peeping at Koneko-chan and her classmates while they were changing! Have you no shame?" Asuna admonished in a stern voice.

"Geez, why are you so..." Rias sighed in astonishment. _'She was living at his house, along with a very willing Asia, and he still went peeping at other girls?'_

"Ara ara. You have to keep the level of peeping at girls changing at a moderate level Ise-kun." Akeno teased with a smile on her face as she poured tea to the peerage.

"I may have gotten a little too carried away." Issei said in slight embarrassment.

"Issei if you can't control yourself I will show you anytime when I'm getting changed." Kiba added in a teasing tone.

"Shuuuut up! How can I enjoy looking at a guy getting changed! I can't even enjoy looking at a girl with an undeveloped body!" Issei looked completely appalled by the mere thought, completely missing the fact Kiba was joking.

"…Undeveloped..." Koneko muttered, glaring at the [Pawn].

"Ise-san. You shouldn't be peeping at girls getting changed…I…if you want to see… the naked body of women that much…I can..." Asia trailed off while wriggling her body shyly.

Despite the obvious meaning behind the former nun words, Issei simple looked uncomprehendingly; completely oblivious to what was being said between the lines. "Yes. If you want to see naked bodies, you can just tell me. I can show you mine at anytime inside the bath or in bed." Rias half teased, half stated, a grin on her face.

A dreamy look appeared on Issei's face, a look that was soon erased when an angry looking Asia pinched his cheek.

'_Living with those two is turning up to be even more fun than I expected.'_ Rias thought with a smile, taking a sip out of the steaming cup of tea.

"Alright everyone, Issei-kun antics aside, I have called you all here to address a matter we have been neglecting do to the situations that just kept pilling up one after the other." Rias said in a business like tone of voice, making all the peerage to stop talking and focus on her words.

"Issei, Asia, Asuna, Kirito, it's time for you all to acquire your familiars. A familiar is an existence which acts as a helper of sorts, supporting their masters and helping them. You could say that they become the hands and feet of us devils."

A sudden crimson flash happens and perched on Rias hand appears a red bat. "This is my familiar."

"This one here is mine." Akeno said after summoning one of her little Onis to the palm of her hand.

"…This is Shiro." Said Koneko while hugging a white kitten and immediately getting Asuna to stand by her side to see the cute familiar.

"Mine is…" Kiba started to say.

"No one is interested in your familiar." Issei harshly interrupted, refusing to look his way.

"You are so cold." Kiba said with an expression of fake hurt at the straight rejection, while making a small bird to appear on his shoulder.

"A familiar is a basic for devils; they help their masters in both ordinary chores, such as distributing the contract pamphlets in their master's behalf," Rias said while her bat was enveloped in a cloud of smoke and a young woman appeared on its place. "And even in battles, acting as scouts or delivering messages. You all need one since they can be used for adapting to various situations."

"Now we will be…"

But Rias words were interrupted when the magic-circle in the center of the room started to shine.

Eight forms appeared out of the circle, being lead by a young bespectacled woman in her late teens with a slim figure, black hair styled in a short bob cut and violet eyes.

"Sona, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Rias asked with a smile, happy to see her friend slash rival.

"Hello Rias, since things finally seen to be calming down I decided it was the right time to introduce the new members of both our peerages." She said in a matter of fact tone, a faint smile on her face.

"Heeee?! Kaichou-san is a Devil?!" Issei exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh so you didn't mention us to Hyoudou, Rias-senpai? Then again, it's also weird not to notice us, when we are all Devils and go to the same school." A young man with short blonde hair and grey eyes said in an arrogant manner.

"Saji, it can't be helped because we are not supposed to contact each other at normal times. Also it hasn't been that long since he became a Devil. Hyoudou-kun is responding like he is supposed to." Sona admonished.

Seeing the look of absolute confusion on Issei face, and the curiosity on the other new members of her peerage, Rias decided to explain.

"The Kaichou, Shitori Souna-sama's real name is Sona Sitri. She's a High-class Devil who is the next heir of the house of Sitri, and she and her peerage act as the student council of the academy."

"The house of Sitri is one of the 72 pillars that survived the Great War just like the house of Gremory and the house of Phenex. This school is actually controlled by the house of Gremory, but at day time, it is the student council…in other words the house of Sitri that is in control. You could say that being in charge is split between day-time and night-time." Akeno said, taking over the explanation.

"You guys are only getting a peaceful school life because Kaichou and us, her Devil servants, are working at daytime. It won't be bad for you to remember that, you know? By the way, my name is Saji Genshirou. I'm in second year, and I am Kaichou's [Pawn]."

"Oooh, we are in the same year and you are also a [Pawn] just like me!" Issei exclaimed happily.

But Saji reaction was the exact opposite to Isse's, with a pained look and a heavy sight he looked at his fellow [Pawn].

"Please don't say that, you actually just damaged my pride very badly. For you, one of the perverted trio to say we are anything alike…even if we share the same piece it is too much."

"W-What did you say!?" Issei shouted in anger.

"Oh? You want to go at it? Even if I look like this, I'm a [Pawn] that consumed four pieces. Even if I just turned into a Devil, I won't lose against someone like you." He said arrogantly.

"Saji, stop that." Sona interjected sharply.

"Bu…but Kaichou!"

"The reason we came here is to introduce our new servants amongst fellow High-class Devils where we both have this school as our base. In other words it's a meeting between allies to introduce you and Ruruko Nimura-kun to Rias" She said while pointing to a small girl with brown hair in twin ponytails. "While also meeting Rias new members, Hyoudou-kun, Asia-san, Asuna-san and Kirito-kun. If you are my servant, then don't embarrass me picking fights needlessly. Besides…"

Sona stared intently at Issei.

"Saji, you can't win against Hyoudou-kun right now. He is the one who defeated the third son of the house of Phenex. Consuming eight [Pawn] pieces was not just for show."

"Eight pieces!? Wait, this is the guy who defeated the Phoenix!? For this guy to beat that Raiser... I thought that it was Kiba or Himejima-senpai who rescued Rias-senpai…"

"I am sorry Hyoudo Issei-kun. My servant hasn't experienced as much as you, and still has some rude attitudes in him. If it's okay, can you please get along with him?" Sona asked with a smile.

Uncomfortable with the unusual attention Issei hastily nodded in agreement.

"Saji, please get along with Rias new members." Sona said in a matter of fact tone.

"Eh? Ye…yes! Please get along with me…." Saji said while reluctantly bowing his head, an unsatisfied look on his face.

"Yes. Let's get along." Asia replied back cheerfully, a big smile on her face.

"If it's Asia-san, then I am very happy to comply!" Saji said grabbing Asia's hand, his attitude a complete opposite to the one he was giving Issei just moments before.

An angry look on his face, Issei darted forward, grabbing Saji's hand and squeezing it hard.

"Hahaha! Saji-kun! Please look after me as well! Also I'll seriously fucking kill you if you lay a finger on Asia-chan. Okay, Saji-kun!?" He asked in a sickly sweet voice, a fake smile on his face.

"Yes! Yes! Let's get along Hyoudou-kun! To have such beauties around a beast like you. You really are a Brute-kun! Man, I wish there was a divine punishment to strike down beasts like you! Why don't you leave and see if lightning falls on you while you are on your way home!" Saji replied with his own fake smile, squeezing Issei's hand even harder.

Looking at the squabbling [Pawns] trying to crush their respective hands while never dropping their fake smiles, Rias shake her head before turning towards Sona.

"You must have a hard time."

"You too." Sona replied in sympathy, while both of them sighed.

"Rias, why are all of your familiars in here?" Sona asked, seeing all the familiars around the clubroom.

"I was explaining about the familiars to my new members and was planning to take them to the familiar forest tomorrow night." She explained.

"How troublesome, I was also planning to take my new members to the familiar forest tomorrow." Sona replied with a bothered expression.

"Indeed, the familiar master only guides one peerage at a time, and he only appears at the full moon." She replied in the same way.

"Perhaps we could decide who goes ourselves, don't you think?" Sona said in a carefree manner, a strange glint in her eyes.

"Is this a challenge?" Rias asked her eyes shining in answer.

"And if it is?" Sona asked with a fierce smile.

"I thought you would never ask." Rias answered smiling in kind.

* * *

Kirito really couldn't believe what had just happened.

Rias and Sona had decided that they would set things straight with a Tennis match between them and their [Queen's].

Standard Tennis rules, first to win two sets would be the victor, normal enough.

But what followed was anything but a normal Tennis match.

'_How haven't anyone noticed they are not human I will never know.'_ Kirito thought while looking at the crater filled tennis court.

All four participants had simply abused their demonic-powers right from the start of the match, moving at impossible speeds and infusing the tennis ball with enough power to rival an average sized cannonball.

All that while being watched by over half of the school population, which apparently thought nothing was wrong if some of the students could move at speeds that put most Olympic athletes to shame or could hit a tennis ball with enough force to cause craters on the ground.

'_Is this a Devils ability or are humans really that oblivious?' _He thought while looking at all the carefree looking students leaving the Tennis court that had been turned into something more closely resembling a bombing site.

And despite all the destruction the match ended in a draw, when the participant's tennis rackets simply broke due to the stress they most certainly hadn't been made to endure.

Both [Kings] had decided that they would settle things in a dodge-ball match, with all members participating.

And so they were going towards the Gym while all students were leaving the school grounds.

Taking a position next to Asuna, he prepared himself. If the Tennis match was any indication, this would be far from a normal dodge-ball game.

"Very well the rules are simple, if you're hit by one of the four balls and it touches the ground or it's grabbed by an opponent you're out, if you throw the ball and an opponent grabs it before it hits the ground, you're out. Also you cannot cross into the opponent's side of the field. The first side to remove all opponents is the winner." Rias said with fire in her eyes.

"Then let's do this Rias. It's time too see who is the victor." Sona replied, her eyes shining in determination.

Not needing any more prompting both [Kings] and their [Queens] raised their demonic-power infused dodge-balls above their heads before firing them at incredible speeds against the opponent's side.

Seeing a ball that Asuna had dodged hitting the ground and bouncing his way at an incredible speed, Kirito grabbed it with his [Rook] strength before looking for a target.

'_This is going to be interesting.'_ He thought while launching the ball with an improvised sword skill against one of the opponents members, hitting the surprised opponent before being forced to duck under a retaliatory strike made by Sona's [Queen].

"Asia, watch out!" Issei cried while taking a hit meant for the devil-nun, the ball bouncing high into the air and going towards the opponent's side.

"Kirito!" Asuna exclaimed running towards him, eyes fixed on the flying ball.

Understanding what she wanted, Kirito crouched, hands entwined and ready before him.

Asuna stepped into his waiting hands before being launched high into the air. Grabbing the flying ball she took quick aim before firing the ball at top speeds against Saji's incredulous face. Effectively saving Issei and taking down two opponents at once.

Dodging another ball Kirito allowed a fierce smile to appear on his face, devil-dodge-ball was turning out to be quite interesting after all.

* * *

When the glow of the magic-circle stopped Asuna looked around to see they were in a deep forest. There were giant trees all around them filtering all but a few pale rays of crimson moonlight, leaving much of the forest hidden in shadows.

'_This place really lives up to its name; it feels like something could pop up at any moment.'_ She thought while scanning her surroundings.

"Get daze!" A loud voice shouted from above, startling all of them due to its suddenness.

Quickly turning around Asuna saw a young man wearing rough looking clothes and a turned cap on his head standing on one of the tree branches high up.

"My name is Satooji the Familiar Master!"

He shouted before jumping off the branch and twirling gracefully in the air… and face-planting on the ground.

"Satooji-san, I brought the ones I spoke of." Rias calmly said, not even slightly disturbed by the Familiar Master odd behavior.

"Hee. A dull faced boy and a blonde beauty huh, oh and these two have a nice look in their eyes. OK! Leave it to me! If it's me any Familiar immediately would be 'get daze'!"

Seeing Issei angry expression at being called dull faced Rias started to explain the situation.

"Satooji- san is a professional in terms of familiars having an extensive knowledge of their habits and characteristics. Today we will catch familiars in this forest while receiving advice from him. Okay?"

"Yes." They all replied while wearily looking at the strange man.

"Now, what type of familiar do you desire? A strong one? Fast one? Or one with poison?" Satooji asked in a friendly manner.

"Don't say something scary like poison type all of a sudden. So, what type do you recommend?" Issei asked.

Smiling at the question, Satooji got out something that looked like a catalogue before pointing at a picture of an extremely ferocious looking creature.

"This is what I would recommend! One of the Dragon-Kings! Chaos Karma Dragon, Tiamat! It's a legendary dragon! It's also the only female among the Dragon-Kings! Even until now, there hasn't been a single devil that has caught her yet! Or even survived the encounter! That would be obvious, since it's said to be as strong as a Maou!"

Only silence greeted Satooji eager suggestion of going hunting a Maou level Dragon-King for a familiar.

"This doesn't look like the level of a familiar! It's like the super boss! The final Boss! And no one has caught it yet!? Do you even know the meaning of 'recommending'!? I feel as if I was thrown into the last dungeon of a RPG!" Issei exclaimed in a slightly panicking manner breaking the silence the suggestion had brought.

"That sounds good. It seems like they will get along well since they are both legendary dragons. Ise, you are my adorable servant, so it might be acceptable if you can pull that off." Rias said in fake sternness, a teasing glint in her eyes.

Issei expression upon hearing those words made it clear that he didn't notice the teasing nature of the order.

"It's impossible, Buchou! I can tell that we won't be able to get along even from a single glance at this book!"

"It's just your imagination, Ise-kun. Yeah, you can do it, I trust in you." Kiba said, joining in on the teasing.

"Shut up, Kibaaaa! You go and hunt it, damn it!" Issei shouted before taking a calming breath and turning toward Satooji.

"Umm, I don't need a familiar like this one, so aren't there any other ones which are friendly and easier to catch?" He asked with a hopeful expression.

"Hahaha! I see, then how about this one? Hydra!" Satooji happily proclaimed pointing at the picture of a gigantic nine headed serpent surrounded by skulls.

"This one is amazing! It has deadly poison! There are no devils in this World which can endure its poison! On top of that it is immortal and has an extremely bloodthirsty temper, even going so far as killing its own master! See? Pretty useful right?"

While silence once again dominated the forest, Asuna wondered if living alone in a forest filled with deadly creatures was the reason Satooji ended up like this, or if he had been dumped in the forest because he already was this way in the first place.

"Can I punch him? Buchou, can I punch this guy?" Issei asked, clearly annoyed by the Familiar Master good natured suicide looking suggestions.

"Calm down, Ise. A Hydra is a very rare familiar, so it would be wonderful for you o acquire one! And if I remember right, there is one deep in this forest! We would be able to return by the end of today after you capture it!" Rias said while looking deep into the forest, as if she was seriously considering making Issei to go and capture the Hydra.

Issei ghost white face and appalled look made it painfully clear that he hadn't noticed the corners of Rias mouth twitching in amusement.

"Hahaha, you should experience the adventure!" Satooji agreed while giving a thumbs up, clearly not seeing anything wrong in going after a deadly nine headed poisonous beast.

"Stop messing with me! I don't want a monster which is more powerful than me!" Issei exclaimed.

"This boy sure has lots of requests. Then, what would you prefer?" He asked in disappointment.

"Aren't there any cute familiars? Like girl-types." Issei asked hopefully.

Making a displeased sound with his tongue Satooji went on to explain the complexities of familiars.

"That's why newbie's don't understand anything. Listen, you have to catch powerful familiars. And each one has different abilities. If you are trying to become a Familiar Master then you have to catch all different types and raise them in order to acquire the most powerful abilities. And also…"

"I also want a cute familiar." Asia asked innocently, peeking from behind Issei where she had been hiding since Satooji appeared.

"Okay, I understand." He immediately agreed with a happy smile on his face.

Standing beside Issei Kirito put a hand on the angry looking [Pawn's] shoulder to contain him, least he actually were to attack the familiar master.

* * *

"Listen up, water spirits gather around this lake." Satooji said in a small voice.

Hiding in the underbrush Asuna looked into the clear lake in front of them. The way it's surface glittery and sparkled even in the pale moonshine of the forest truly gave it a supernatural feel, as if it was a very sacred place.

"Yes, the water spirits, Undine, 'The Maiden of the Mist', live in this lake. But they don't usually show themselves in front of others so stay hidden everyone."

According to Satooji Undines are beautiful maidens with pure hearts and beautiful bodies and posses incredible healing abilities.

'_But I guess Issei stopped listening after hearing maiden and beautiful in the same sentence.'_ Asuna thought while glaring at the perverted look on Issei's face.

"B-Buchou, since it would be my familiar I can do whatever I want with it right?" He asked far too eagerly.

"Yes, do as you like. It would become your familiar after all." Rias answered with a strange glint on her eyes and a small smile on her face.

"Oh, the lake started glowing. An Undine should make its appearance soon." Satooji said pointing towards the lake.

As the light diminished the figure of the water spirit became visible. Beautiful light-blue hair that's sparked with an inner light and an elegant transparent robe covering its body…it's massively huge bodybuilder body…

"What the fuck is thisssssssss!?" Issei screamed abandoning his cover, tears on his eyes.

"That is a Undine. Beautiful isn't it?" Satooji asked good-naturedly.

"No no no! No matter how you look at it, that is a bodybuilder in training! Look at it! Those biceps that can destroy a human's body, those fist that can crush boulders! That is not a maiden! It's a war veteran, a man of valor!"

"Yeah, Undines always battle in order to demark and keep their territory so they are quite strong. But it sure is a strong looking spirit even for an Undine. That is quite rare, I recommend you to catch it. A water spirit specializing in punching sure would be useful right."

"It is bad! It isn't a healing-type at all! It is like the killing-type! I don't need a healing-type spirit which has enormous punch power! I wanted a female-type spirit!" Issei cried out loud.

"But, that is the female-type you know? And it has quite a lot of potential." Satooji said confused.

"I so didn't want to hear that!" Issei screamed, covering his eyes and dropping to the ground unable to deal with the sight before his eyes.

"So Ise, it looks like quite a good familiar. Won't you catch it?" Rias asked demurely, the glint in her eyes stronger than ever.

Ignoring Issei's answering sobs, and the sudden understanding of what exactly that glint in Rias eyes meant, Asuna focused on the… peculiar familiar.

'_I could swear that I have seen something similar before.' _She thought while trying to remember why she was having this feeling of familiarity.

"Asuna, is it just me or does the Undine look an awful lot like one of floors 66th 'Love Seekers'?" Kirito asked with a strangled voice.

With sudden realization she nodded her agreement. Indeed the Familiar before them bore a striking resemblance to the high level mobs on that floor.

"Ah, another one has appeared." Satooji said breaking her train of thought.

After uncovering his eyes in hope that the first Undine was a fluke, Issei gazed towards the second Undine, which was even bigger and stronger looking than the first one.

"Ise-kun, I don't think it's something which you should cry out that much, you know?" Kiba asked in a slightly worried tone, looking at the unresponsive form on the ground.

"Kibaaaa. I had dreams, I had fantasies. I was seeking for a beauty of the World. But, what is that? Why do I have to see some bodybuilder make his appearance!? I hate it! My fantasies were crushed!"

"Oh, look."Satooji said, pointing at the lake. Where the two Undines that had been glaring at each other had started to hit one another with a series of rock crushing blows.

"It's the fight for the territory. And both of them look like warriors with lots of experience."Satooji stated in an excited tone.

"Fight for the territory… Shouldn't they fight in a more 'fantasy' way? Isn't there any magic used by spirits and stuff?" Issei asked with a broken tone of voice, looking at a fight worthy of a Pro-wrestling match.

"Don't be ridiculous; after all, violence is the answer." Satooji answered in a matter of fact tone. "Hahaha! Look, boy! The victor will be your familiar! The ultimate fight of Undine! It's a wonderful adventure indeed! Oh! They certainly show a rare way of punching!"

"Buchou, can I go home? I'm really not feeling well you know?" Issei asked in a pitiful manner.

"Haaa… Okay. Let's just move on to another place. At this rate there will be no progress in this." Rias said, taking pity on the shocked looking [Pawn] and leading the peerage further into the woods.

Following after the others alongside Kirito, Asuna stopped upon listening to the sound of something moving on the underbrush.

"Asuna…?" Kirito asked while looking at the others disappearing from sight by turning a corner in the trail they were following.

"I could swear I heard something around here." She said looking amidst the bushes.

"You think there is something here?" He asked looking around. "Do you want to call the familiar master to take a look?" A deadpan stare was all the answer he received.

Rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, Kirito proceeded to help looking around the area.

"Kirito look!" Asuna called, pointing at a small hollow on a tree where a little fox was looking at them curiously.

Or at least it resembled a fox. The fact that parts of its body kept appearing and disappearing continuously, as if it was not fully there, was a dead giveaway that it was no normal fox.

"It's adorable." Asuna said getting closer to the curious looking fox.

"It kind of reminds me of the 'Cheshire Cat' from 'Alice in Wonderland'." Kirito said upon seeing nearly its entire body disappearing for a moment, leaving only its curious eyes floating there for an instant.

Getting even closer, Asuna tried to pet it, but much to their surprise her hand passed through the fox like it was made of mist.

Before either of them could say anything about the strange phenomenon, a thunderous explosion happened in the direction the peerage had gone.

Running back to the trail they quickly went after the others to see what had happened.

Upon reaching a clearing they were met by a curious sight. All the girls in the peerage were in their underwear, while Kiba and Satooji were standing by the side and a blackened looking Issei was sobbing on the ground hugging a pile of ashes.

Also Asia was hugging a bluish-purple dragon-looking creature which was about the size of an eagle and was cuddled against her body.

Trading a look with Kirito Asuna decide it was best not knowing what had happened here.

"I hear that Sprite Dragons open up to those with pure hearts. It seems like it really is attached to that girl." Satooji explained taking a closer look at the creature on Asia's arms

"Looks like its Ise's defeat." Rias said with a smile.

"U-umm, can I make this dragon my familiar?" Asia said looking at the small dragon she was treating like a teddy-bear.

"Normally the Sprite Dragon is a dragon who won't pledge it's loyalty to a devil, but it seems that girl has a very pure heart. Something like this has never happened before, but it seems like the contract spell can be done." Satooji said while explaining to Asia what she had to do.

Placing the small dragon on a green magic-circle Asia started to say the Familiar binding incantation.

"...In the name of A-Asia Argento, I order you! Y-You shall become my familiar and respond to my contract, Rassei-kun!"

The light from the magic-circle increased for a moment before gradually losing its potency. When the light disappeared completely the baby dragon flew towards Asia licking her happily.

"Ufufu. You are tickling me. Rassei-kun."

"Rassei?" Issei asked curiously, while approaching the dragon.

"Yes. He is a dragon which uses lightning and I also used Ise-san's name as well. For I want him to be lively like Ise-san…Would it trouble you?" She asked in a worried tone of voice.

"No, that's alright. Well, who cares, let's get along Rassei…" Issei quickly assured her before trying to pet the new familiar, and being rewarded with a bluish lightning bolt for his efforts.

"I forgot to mention, but male dragons hate males from other races." Satooji explained happily.

"Oh? What is this? It seems the ladies are the only ones making progress today!" He said, walking towards Asuna with a happy expression on his face, his eyes never leaving an apparently empty piece of the ground right next to her feet.

"A Spirit Fox and those are quite rare too! And she seems to be quite taken with you!"

Asuna blinked upon realizing that the small fox she had seem before was standing right next to her, appearing as off thin air.

"So? Do you want it as a familiar? They are quite useful for scouting!" He exclaimed cheerfully.

"How can it be my familiar? I can't even touch her." Asuna asked looking at the small fox.

"Don't worry, the familiar summoning spell is a very ancient and powerful spell. It doesn't matter if the familiar is a spirit, an elemental or whatever, it will provide the familiar with everything necessary to serve its master." Satooji said with a thumbs up. "As long as the familiar accepts the contract it will work. There are even old legends talking about summoning otherworldly beings. In this case the spell will allow it to interact with the physical plane no problem!"

Looking at Kirito to see what he thought about it, Asuna saw he had a look of deep concentration, as if he was pondering about the implications of something, and was not paying attention to his surroundings.

Looking at the adorable little fox Asuna made her mind. "What is the spell, Satooji-san?"

* * *

Looking at her peerage while sitting at the clubroom Rias couldn't contain a smile. Both Asuna and Asia had been able to acquire excellent familiars.

'_A Sprite Dragon and a Spirit Fox are far from common familiars after all. Those are sure marks of potential.' _She thought while looking at Asia hugging Rassei and Asuna and Koneko petting Kasumi. _'Pity that the boys couldn't find their familiars this time as well.'_

Talking about the boy's, while Issei was still depressed about losing his intended familiars and was sitting in a corner. Kirito had darted away the moment they had returned to the school, a resolute look on his face, saying he would be back in a moment.

'_What is he planning?'_ She thought while distractedly sipping her tea.

As if her thoughts had summoned him, an eager looking Kirito appeared carrying a helmet looking device.

"Rias, can you cast the familiar summoning contract spell for me?" He asked with a strange shine on his eyes.

Raising an eyebrow Rias casted the circle, curious to see what the [Rook] was planning to do. Binding an object as a familiar was impossible after all.

"Kirito… what are you doing?" Asuna asked in confusion, staring at the strange helmet.

"I got a hunch… trust me… this will work." He said with a look of concentration, putting the object in the middle of the glowing circle.

"In the name of Kirigaya Kazuto, I order you! You shall become my familiar and respond to my contract, Yui!"

Upon these words the circle glowed with an intense light, temporarily blinding all in the room. When the light receded a small black haired fairy was sitting atop the helmet.

"Papa?" The small fairy asked curiously, looking at Kirito's direction.

"…Yui-chan!" Asuna exclaimed in surprise, tears in her eyes.

"Mama!" The fairy exclaimed happily, flying towards Asuna and hugging her tightly.

A cloud of smoke enveloped them and upon clearing showed Asuna tenderly hugging a small black haired girl.

Stepping forward Kirito joined the hug, a happy expression on his face.

Opening her eyes the small girl saw a somber looking Koneko staring at the scene from a distance.

A look of realization filling her face and her eyes shining with excitement, the little girl wiggled free from the hug before lunging towards the startled [Rook].

"Onee-chan!" She shouted happily, hugging the embarrassed looking Koneko for all her worth.

Rias had no idea what had just happened or who the little fairy girl was.

But seeing the happy looks on Kirito and Asuna's faces, and the barely noticeable smile on Koneko's usually impassive face as she was being hugged by the excited looking little girl, she decided that the questions could wait.

For the moment she would just enjoy the show.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

And Yui makes her appearance! I had been wondering how to make her able to interact with the real world, and then I decided that a familiar summoning would be quite plausible. It binds another sentient being to the master, being able to transport it from wherever he is. She will retain her Nav' Pixie skills as well as her ability to change into a human form.

Asuna's familiar had to be some kind of spirit, the fact the spell allowed a being without a physical body to interact with them was the clincher for Kirito to decide to try it with Yui.

Then I remembered this cool idea from the book 'Ilse Witch' from Terry Brooks about a creature called a 'Swamp Cat' that had parts of his body constantly disappearing and reappearing as if you were seeing it through a heavy mist. But decided a Fox was nicer, and besides there is already a cute cat in the peerage, even if Kirito and Asuna don't know it yet!

For those of you that watched the anime and are confused by the timing, I'm following the light novels timeline. In which the peerage went to the Familiar Forest after the [Rating Game], while in the anime they went before.

Ruruko Nimura in canon was already an established member of Sona's peerage; I made her a rookie because if the decision of going to acquire a familiar was between one new member for Sona against four new members for Rias, there would be no contest without Sona sounding petty. Nimura as a rookie meant it would be two against four so there would be room for discussion of which peerage would go.

Itadakimasu: Meals in Japan traditionally begin with the phrase "_itadakimasu". _It literally means "I humbly receive". The phrase is similar to "bon appétit", or saying grace to give thanks before a meal. It is said to express gratitude for all who played a role in cooking, preparing, cultivating, ranching or hunting the food.

Kaichou: Chairman, or in the case of a school setting, Student Council President

'Get Daze': Get daze is a phrase from Japanese Pokemon. In the English version it is the phrase 'Gotta Catch 'Em All!'

KASUMI (霞): Japanese name meaning "mist".

Please review before leaving!


	8. Chapter 8 - Link Start

**Author's Notes:** Firstly, as always I would like to thank everyone that favorite, followed or reviewed my story so far, your support is really appreciated.

Secondly, I would like to say that I was surprised but pleased by the reactions of my turning Yui into Kirito's Familiar. I'm happy to know I'm not alone in my love for the adorable little Artificial Intelligence. Point in fact it seems there is quite a lot of Yui fans out there.

Lastly: **I do not own SAO or Highschool DxD**

* * *

**Link Start**

Standing in her human form Yui gazed around anxiously while fixing her clothes for what felt like the tenth time in one minute, while wondering why she felt so nervous.

Logically speaking there was no reason for her to be nervous, she understood that there was nothing to fear, no reason to worry.

But despite all logical arguments her mind could readily provide, she couldn't shake off the strange feeling that was permeating her body and preventing her from standing still.

'_Enquire: Does the fact that I now posses a physical body affects my reactions to new situations?'_ She wondered, remembering the vast array of information she possessed about how the decision making process of humans was affected by their bodily functions and comparing it to her present situation.

The possibility that she was now affected by the same array of emotional situations that those she was originally made to help experienced in a daily basis was truly intriguing.

But that was just a stray thought, occupying just a tiny corner of her mind. After all, ever since she had found her Mama and Papa she had experienced all sorts of interesting and exhilarating new things.

Surviving the world that had been meant to contain her, helping Papa to rescue Mama in the world of fairies, experiencing the joys of being around loved ones and of course being brought to her parent's birth world and meeting her Onee-chan just to say a few.

At that thought she couldn't contain a smile, while in retrospect she would admit that her reaction to meeting Koneko Onee-chan for the first time had been slightly exaggerated, she just hadn't been able to contain herself.

She had heard so much about her from her parents that she had truly been eager to meet her. Add in the fact she could easily see the improvement in her parent's emotional state every time they spoke about her and Yui just couldn't contain her excitement upon realizing she was in the same room that Koneko was occupying.

'_Thankfully Koneko Onee-chan didn't react negatively to the display of affection, point in fact she seemed pleased by the action.'_ She thought smiling at the memories she had acquire in the past few days, going to the park, walking around the city, meeting Mama and Papa's new friends, eating breakfast with her Onee-chan.

'_Enquire: how best to convince Mama and Papa that Onee-chan should live with us?'_ She thought remembering how frequent a visitor Koneko was and wondering why she should bother to leave if they all were happier together.

Her happy thoughts were stopped upon hearing a call for her name. Realizing that the nervousness that had been absent while her mind was busy had returned the moment she focused again in the situation Yui noted the fact for further contemplation in a latter date before entering through the door.

"As you can see we have a new transfer student, I would like you all to help her adapt and feel welcome to the class." The professor said with a kind smile, gesturing for Yui to introduce herself.

Taking a look at the many curious faces in front of her Yui felt her nervousness reaching its peak, but the small reassuring nod she saw Koneko giving her was enough to calm her down and enable her to remember the Social Scripts that were supposed to be followed in this situation.

"I'm Kirigaya Yui, my hobbies are exploring new things, computer programming and spending time with my family, please treat me well." She said while bowing to the class.

The interested murmurs her declaration had initiated were brought to a close when the teacher told her to sit on the empty spot next to Koneko.

Beaming happily in return to the small smile Koneko was showing, Yui took her seat while eagerly looking around. She didn't want to fail to notice any new interesting facts due to lack of attention after all.

* * *

Drinking a cup of tea Rias discreetly looked at the happily chattering fairy girl sitting at Koneko's shoulder, while wondering how little she really knew about the mysteries of the world.

The story Kirito had told her had been truly incredible. To think a human had been able to create a true artificial intelligence, and that it would have such a high level of self awareness and sentient thought that even the familiar summoning spell had promptly recognized it as a possible familiar.

'_To think that humans could do such a thing, no magic, no powers, just sheer intellect. And yet they had created what was for all intents and purposes an artificial life form.'_ She thought in slight wonder. _'I really don't want to imagine what would happen if Beelzebub-sama ever found out about this.'_

Seeing Kirito and Asuna entering the clubroom and immediately asking how Koneko's and Yui's day at school had been with smiles on their faces, Rias couldn't help but compare the scene to that of a couple with their kids.

The heartwarming scene was enough to disperse the disturbing images of one of the four Great Satans raiding human gaming companies for research materials that had been plaguing her mind.

It had been Kirito's idea to enroll Yui into class and Rias had no problem in helping things along with a little hypnotism to ease things a bit. Their happiness was contagious, so she was more than happy to guarantee its continued existence by doing that small chore; the fact that Koneko was far more open and happy than she ever remembered seeing was just the icing on the cake.

Seeing the rest of the peerage had arrived Rias allowed an amused smile to appear on her face.

'_I wonder what they will think about my idea. And why do I get the feeling that this is something Onii-sama would think about doing?' _She thought about the idea she had after seeing Kirito's and Asuna's skills. Meeting Yui had been the final push for her to make the decision.

It would be good for their training, it would help them grow and develop stronger bonds with each other, and besides, she would admit to herself, she really wanted to try it out.

"Everyone please pay attention." She said making the talking in the clubroom to stop. "Recently I had a new idea to complement the training you all should be doing in your free time. It should help us to gain experience in combat situations and practice our teamwork."

Gesturing for Akeno to grab a large box that was laying in one side of the room, she noticed that Issei was looking slightly guilty when she mentioned training. Internally sighing she decided to up his personal training, since if she wasn't personally pushing him he would only barely train.

Thankfully there was no such problem with the rest of her peerage, Kiba, Koneko, Asia, Akeno and Asuna were all hard workers. And she didn't even have to spare a thought about Kirito.

For all his lackadaisical attitude and apparent love for napping, when he started to train he simply didn't stop until Asuna got tired about his single minded drive and dragged him home, literally.

Hiding her amusement at the memory of the powerful [Rook] being dragged home like a misbehaving child Rias continued her explanation.

"We shall do this training from our homes; it may eat up some of your free time but please bear with it, for I believe it will provide good results." Seeing the interested expressions on her peerage faces she got the large box Akeno had retrieved and opened it up.

Seeing the incredulous look Asuna and Kirito were giving the contents of the box, Rias had to fight back the urge to giggle and keep her serious tone.

"These are AmuSpheres and with them we shall practice in a controlled combat environment called Alfheim, any questions?" She asked in a neutral tone, enjoying the many different expressions of disbelief and confusion that were appearing on the faces of her peerage members.

"Rias, are you serious?" Kirito asked in disbelief at her genius idea of turning a virtual reality game into a training accessory.

"But of course. I made an extensive research about the subject, and the results are quite promising." She replied with a smile. "You and Asuna yourselves have already proved that it is possible to translate knowledge acquired in the virtual realm into the physical world. While it's not possible to develop ones power or body strength, training in there will be a good way to test new techniques and gain battle experience with no actual risk."

Taking a long look at her face Kirito sighted before shaking his head. "You just want to play the game don't you?" he asked with an amused smile.

"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. This is a carefully planned training exercise." Rias declared in fake sternness, making the rest of the peerage to trade amused looks.

"No,no,no,no,no!" Issei loudly proclaimed in a slightly panicking manner, breaking the carefree atmosphere that was permeating the clubroom. "You can't possible want me to join one of those death traps Buchou!"

Frowning with worry Rias tried to placate the distressed [Pawn] "Issei it's perfectly safe, there are many safety mechanisms in place, making the possibility of being in any real danger simply nonexistent."

Kirito and Asuna quickly added to her assurance, thinking that he may be worried about the SAO incident.

"Safe?! Do you know what happens in those things?!" He said now in full out panic. "There are… there are…"

Seeing Issei all but choke at the words he apparently couldn't force himself to speak Rias started to pat him in the back in a comforting manner. "What is the problem Issei?"

The action apparently gave Issei the strength to finish his train of thought. "There are guys who pretend to be girls in those things!" He cried in horror. "There is absolutely no way to tell if the cute girl you were talking to is really a girl or a guy!"

Silence permeated the clubroom after Issei's outburst; incredulous looks were fixed on the crying [Pawn] while Rias stopped her comforting pats in favor of pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Issei, while it's true that was quite common in old RPGs that is not possible anymore." Kirito said in a matter of fact tone, his features making evident he was fighting down a smile. "SEED based VRMMRPGs may poses the possibility of heavily editing one's avatar, but as a rule you cannot change your gender."

Those simple words brought Issei's little existential conundrum to an end, his look of horror vanished without a trace and hope filled his face.

"Buchou It's really a great idea to train in those games!" The perverted smile on his face showed that training was the last thing on his mind.

"Any other questions?" Rias deadpanned shaking her head in disbelief and wondering how Issei could change moods so fast.

* * *

Ducking under the swinging sword of his red clad opponent and rolling out of the way of a fireball shot by an equally crimson robed mage Kirito wondered what he could have done to deserve this.

True he did defeat General Eugene and stopped the Salamanders from achieving an overwhelming victory over the Sylphs and Cait Sith, but the man himself had held no grudges over it, only desiring for a rematch duel in a later date.

'_But apparently the other Salamanders are still dealing with their issues concerning that fact, even if there is no longer a reason for such a fierce rivalry between the factions.'_ He thought sidestepping a charging lancer before striking him in the back with his Black Iron Great Sword making the player disappear in a shower of red flames.

Blocking the enemy's swordsman new attempt of separating his head from his body Kirito quickly overpowered him with a series of quick but heavy strikes while looking towards Koneko to see how she was holding up.

Koneko newly created avatar was holding off two opponents with relative ease. There was a reason some called ALO a game without levels, while it really was impossible for a new player to fight a top level player, if one had enough skill and ability it was more than possible to fight opponents that were over ten levels higher than your own.

And Koneko's unique choice in weaponry was also proving to be very effective, being something her opponents clearly hadn't seen before and didn't know how to properly react.

Having forsaken any kind of bladed weapon in favor of a pair of heavy duty Rune Enhanced Black Iron Gauntlets, that were in all likelihood intended for massive Tank type players, the small Cait Sith was using her knowledge of martial arts to block all strikes and deliver heavy blows, turning an supposedly defensive type of equipment in a very effective weapon.

Dodging another fireball while taking down a second lancer Kirito rushed towards the panicking mage, inwardly musing that the little [Rook] new appearance really suited her for some reason.

Koneko's avatar was almost a mirror image of her real self, only with the additions of a white tail and a pair of cute white cat ears. And for some reason the look was somehow completely in character with her.

'_It's almost as if this new look is more natural than her real appearance.' _He thought in bemusement, taking down the mage with an over headed strike while inwardly berating himself for having silly thoughts.

Turning around Kirito saw Koneko taking down her second opponent with a series of quick blows followed by an uppercut to the head. The Salamanders had been probably around level fifteen or so, which meant those two opponents would give quite the level boost to the level seven Koneko.

"Good job! You did really well for your first PvP fight." Kirito said while gently patting Koneko head, eliciting a nod and a faint smile from the small girl.

"Un, Koneko Onee-chan was great!" Yui exclaimed happily, leaving the coat pocket in which she had been staying during the fight. "But Papa, we should keep going to Arun if we don't want to be late in meeting with the others."

Nodding his agreement and seeing that Koneko was also ready, both [Rooks] took to the skies heading in the direction of the world-tree.

The peerage was going to meet at Arun city near the world-tree Yggdrasill, since their avatars had been created in the various faction capitals around Alfheim the center of the world would be the closet point to then all.

Akeno and Kiba had chosen to play as Sylphs, Asia as an Undine, Koneko as a Cait Sith and Rias and Issei as Salamanders.

So that was a lot of ground to make in other to reunite the peerage, luckily both Klein and Leafa had agreed to help to escort everyone to Arun city. Leaving for him and Asuna to go and get Koneko and Asia respectively while Leafa and Klein went to their respective faction capitals for the others.

'_It's a really good thing Klein is a Salamander and is willing to help, for judging by the last party reaction I really won't be going to Gadan anytime soon' _Kirito thought while grimacing at the image of having to fend off a horde of angry Salamanders should he venture near their capital.

* * *

After the little altercation with the Salamanders it had been an easy trip with only the eventual mob attack and changing scenery to mark their progress, allowing them to reach their destination nearly on time.

Entering the beautiful sight that was Arun city Kirito and Koneko walked towards the central plaza were they would meet the others while enjoying the sights.

Walking into the plaza Kirito immediately noticed Asuna and Asia coming their way. Smiling towards them Kirito headed their way while looking at the now blue haired Devil-nun in bemusement.

"How was your trip?" Asuna asked while Asia started happily telling Koneko all the strange things she had seen during the journey in an excited manner.

"Uneventful." Kirito said with a straight face, failing to mention the Salamander attack and ignoring the look Koneko was giving him. "Have the others arrived yet?"

"Yes they have." Akeno voice came from right behind him, making him jump in surprise.

Turning around he saw a blond looking smiling Akeno being followed by Leafa and a nearly completely normal looking Kiba, both sporting amused looks on their faces.

"Ara, ara. You are so energetic today Kirito-kun." Akeno said beatifically, the very picture of innocence.

Sighing Kirito waved at the new arrivals. It seemed that Akeno's ability to sneak on others was translated to the gaming world, an impressive feat considering his maxed searching skill.

"You sure made interesting new friends Onii-chan." Leafa said with a smile. "Akeno-san has told me some very interesting stories about your new school."

Ignoring the unnerving glint in her eyes, Kirito silently hoped that Akeno had not told something outrageous or absurd about his school life.

"The great samurai has arrived!" Klein shouted, drawing their attention to his and Rias approaching forms.

Just like Kiba, Rias appearance was nearly the same as her real one, only her pointy elf ears being different.

Kirito had to hold back a laugh at the scene. The sight of the regal looking Rias walking alongside the scruffy looking Katana wielding Salamander, gave off the very interesting impression of a high class underworld lady being escorted by her thuggish bodyguard.

"Hello Klein how have you been? Last we talked you were complaining about work problems." Kirito said while shaking the others hand, a hint of worry entering his voice. Last he heard Klein was having some problems at work due to the changes that had been made during his time trapped in SAO.

"Heh, truth be told I was just about to be sacked. But in the end a new opportunity appeared and while it is a little unusual it really has great perks." He said with a smile.

Smiling in kind Kirito congratulated him on his apparent new job, Klein was a great if a little unusual friend, and it was good to know he was doing fine.

"So Rias where is Issei?" Asuna asked by his side, making him realize that the [Pawn] was nowhere near the group.

"He is there." Rias said in a neutral tone of voice pointing towards a huge crowd that was gathered in one of the sides of the plaza.

Curious, Kirito approached the crowd, noticing that they were apparently cheering someone who had just won a duel, and that Issei was indeed amidst the crowd, cheering the winner with a perverted smile on his face.

Taking a closer look Kirito saw that a beautiful black haired girl wearing a frilly pink dress and a sparkly look on her eyes was standing in a clearing amidst the players.

Twirling in place she stopped, holding both hands clasped near her heart and one leg raised in a classical magical girl pose.

"Beware evil doers! Mil-tan cannot be defeated, for justice and love shall always win-nyou!" She cheerfully exclaimed, making the all male crowd cheer in agreement.

Kirito's reaction was far more subdued, a strange look on his eyes he carefully examined the magical-girl looking player.

He recognized the pose and the verbal tic at the end of the phrase. Even the clothing was the same although several times smaller. Add in the name and there was absolutely no doubt left on his mind.

Taking one last look at the perverted smile at Issei's face, Kirito shook his head before heading back towards the group.

'_Ignorance truly is bliss.'_ He thought, deciding he would never mention the truth to the [Pawn], least he were to do something drastic upon finding what was truly before him and realizing Kirito was sort of responsible for that.

His somber thoughts were brought to a halt when something collided with his back with impressive force, forcing him to take a couple of steps forward least he were to fall to the ground.

The accompanying shout made perfectly clear who had just commandeered his back for a piggyback ride.

"Kii-bou!" Argo shouted, snuggling against his back much to his embarrassment. "To think we would meet here! Fate certainly is upon us!" She proclaimed boisterously without bothering to leave her new perch.

"Papa, no cheating on Mama!" Yui exclaimed with a serious voice, causing him to be at a loss for words.

Looking at the information broker in search of how to answer to that particular accusation Kirito blanched upon seeing the huge predatory smile that was spreading through Argo's face.

Deciding discretion was the best part of valor Kirito removed Argo from his back and quickly brought her towards the others for presentations, pretending the incident had never happened.

"Greetings and salutations!" Argo proclaimed happily, her whisker marks twitching in amusement due to Kirito's actions. "I'm an old friend of Kirito and Asuna, please call me Argo and know that if you want information I am the go-to person."

Seeing the confused looks around, Asuna explained. "Argo is an information broker, a player that gathers and sells information to buyers. Argo 'The Rat' is famous or infamous depending on who you ask, for her all encompassing knowledge and prices. A knowledge that's even more impressive considering the fact she has been playing this game for only little over a month."

Kirito nodded in agreement, he still couldn't believe how notoriously known Argo had managed to get in the little while she had been playing ALO.

"If you know how to do it, time is not really an issue in the information business." Argo said puffing her chest, completely disregarding the part about being infamous for her prices.

"So you are also a Springgan?" Asuna said, noticing the ash colored skin under the hood.

"But of course. Their illusion magic and sneaky skills make them wonderfully suited for my line of work. And while I might have considered playing as a Cait Sith due to the delicious irony that would have provided, in the end I went with the mercenary faction." She said sagely, before turning towards Kirito with an appraising look.

"But I must say that I'm really surprised you chose to play with a Spriggan yourself Kii-bou, you never favored tricks in your play style after all. I mean with your speed and offensive playing style I thought you would be either a Sylph due to their speed or a Salamander due to their attack power, hell even a Gnome with their defense would be a surer bet, considering your stubbornness in refusing to go down when you should."

Rubbing the back of his head in slight embarrassment Kirito wondered how to best explain why he was a Spriggan.

Seeing the familiar movement Argo allowed a bemused smile to appear on her face. "Let me guess, you didn't even bother to read the faction description and simply chose the one whose default coloring was black didn't you?"

The deer in headlights look that appeared on the [Rook's] face was enough for all to know that Argo had hit a bull's-eye, causing a wave of laughter to wash trough the group.

After that the group started to talk and mingle being too late for doing quests they would save that for tomorrow.

All the while Kirito kept throwing glances at Argo's direction. He had a completely crazy suspicion, it was absurd, but the more he thought about it the surer he felt he was right and the more likely it appeared to be the truth.

Deciding that she was right and he really wasn't suited for tricks and mind games, Kirito decided for the direct approach and after excusing himself he grabbed Argo by the arm and led her a little away from the rest of the group.

"Kii-bou I didn't think you would be so bold. What is Asuna going to think? " Argo said in a coy manner, crossing her hands in fake shyness and forcing Kirito to fight a new wave of embarrassment.

"Argo, you are a Devil aren't you?" He asked in a serious manner, making sure she understood that he meant what he had just asked.

"Kii-bou how could you!" She replied with a show of hurt worth of an academy award. "I know nearly all my clients call me that after doing business with me but I thought you could be an exception!"

After fighting down the urge to face palm and growl in annoyance Kirito focused on the uncooperative information broker and pressed forward. "Argo I'm serious, the warning about the coming match, the outfits that were delivered at the apartment. You are a Devil, and it wouldn't surprise me if the reason you were looking for me and Asuna that day was to invite us into your peerage."

Dropping the act Argo looked straight into his eyes before answering. "Ten thousand Yurudo." She said in a matter of fact tone, smiling in victory upon seeing Kirito face palm and growl in annoyance.

Looking at the smug expression at her face Kirito decided it was time for desperate measures. Quickly manipulating his inventory he made a trade window appear in front of the uncooperative friend that stood before him.

He took great pleasure at the bemused look Argo was showing at the trade window that had appeared, knowing he had won. After all, no matter what, Argo never backed down from a deal.

"You are no fun Kii-bou." Argo said in resignation, manipulating the screen and taking the ten thousand Yurudo payment. "No fun at all."

Taking a step back Argo gave a courtly bow, as if they were in a ballroom and not in a corner of a busy street.

"Tsukino Dantalion Yamada of the house of Dantalion, at your service." She proclaimed with a fanged smirk. "A High Class Devil, and member of one of the surviving 72 Pillars of the underworld."

"You know Kii-bou I was truly devastated when I realized that Rias had managed to snatch you two away from under my own noose." She said smiling at the incredulous expression Kirito was sporting, as if he himself hadn't completely believed on his theory. "But now we can fix that! Care to help me convince Rias to trade you and Asuna for my spare pieces?"

Quickly rebooting his brain, Kirito considered what would happen if he were to end up with Argo as a [King]. Feeling a shiver of dread coursing through his body Kirito denied vigorously the idea, he had no desire to be teased to death after all.

"Thanks Argo but we are happy where we are, Rias is a good leader and we have already formed bonds with the rest of the peerage."

"As I said before you are no fun Kii-bou, no fun at all." Argo replied with a grin, walking towards the rest of the group.

"Kirito?" Asuna asked, clearly curious why he had dragged Argo away.

"It seems I'm not going crazy after all." He replied simply, causing a surprised look to appear on Asuna's face while she quickly turned to look at a smug looking Argo.

"Hey Kirito what is that?" Issei asked, pointing to a huge crystal in a corner that was displaying a military dressed man with long silver-blue hair answering questions made by a cutely techno dressed girl.

"That's a Far-sight Crystal; they are used to display net broadcasts, events and programs, just like a television or computer screen, its showing the MMO Stream a popular program about VR games and their players."

"You are saying that people playing a game stop to watch people playing other games?" Issei asked with slight incredulity.

"When you say it like that it sounds a little weird but that is correct." Kirito replied with a smile.

"Alright everyone, this will be all for today. I would like to thank Leafa-chan and Klein-kun for their help, we shall see you all tomorrow." Rias said breaking their conversation.

After a round of farewells, they started to disconnect one by one, until no one remained in their corner of the street.

Had they logged out a few moments later they would have seen the curious sight of Zekushiido, winner of the second Bullet of Bullets tournament and top player of the game Gun Gale Online, clutching his chest as if in pain before his avatar was suddenly disconnected from the transmission.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

And the truth is out, like some off you wondered, Argo is a Devil, and a member of the 72 Pillars.

In demonology, **Dantalion** (or **Dantalian**) is a powerful Great Duke of Hell, with thirty-six legions of demons under his command; he is the 71st of the 72 spirits of Solomon. He teaches all arts and sciences, and gives counsel to anyone who summons him.

He is depicted as a man with many appearances, capable of wearing the faces of all men and women. There are also many depictions in which he is said to hold a book in one of his hands, such as the following, from "The Lesser Key of Solomon":

"The Seventy-first Spirit is Dantalion. He is a Duke Great and Mighty, appearing in the form of a Man with many countenances, all Men's and Women's Faces are his to wear; and he hath a Book in his right hand. His Office is to teach all Arts and Sciences unto any; and to declare the Secret Counsel of any one; for he knoweth the thoughts of all Men and Women, and can change them at his Will."

I believe that this would be a fitting clan for Argo, for it certainly matches with her actions as a secretive information broker. An underworld clan that preaches knowledge above all else and uses it as a bargaining tool can easily explain Argo's core nature and actions, and so she is a Dantalion.

Next chapter we will be entering the next arc, GGO is upon us so look forward to it!

I'm aiming to make a true crossover were both universes interlay and mingle with one another, so while Kirito and Asuna have been turned into Devils and entered the DxD universe, the situations left behind in the SAO universe will not simply disappear. Especially those like the GGO in which the main characters involvement was not necessary to start everything.

But don't worry, it won't be a copy of the original, I have some very interesting plans for this arc, just wait and see.

Please review before leaving.


	9. Chapter 9 - Ghosts in the Machine

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly I would like thanks all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly I would like to say that I'm quite happy how the beginning of the GGO arc ended shaping up. While not as combat intensive as some of my other chapters I believe that the underlying tension it sets up for the next chapters is very fitting.

Lastly: **I** **do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Ghosts in the Machine**

A harsh wind was blowing across the wastelands, mercilessly biting at the unprotected skin of those few who dared to brave the unknown lands that had been forsaken by time.

The sun was slowly setting, staining the ground with its crimson light as he granted this lost world his last few rays of light before darkness returned once more.

Laying atop a rock formation a form remained completely still. A desert colored military jacket blending her delicate appearance with the landscape as she waited, unminding of the fierce winds that unrelentingly tried to batter her form.

As her pale blue hair swung wildly alongside the white muffler that was wrapped around her neck, she focused only on the scope of the great sniper rifle nested between her arms.

The weapon, the PGM Ultima Ratio Hecate II anti-material rifle, was 138 cm long, nearly as long as its user was tall, the massive size of the 50 caliber sniper rifle promised destruction to all those who stood in its path, destruction delivered by its 12.7mm bullets. And just like the Goddess that granted it its name, both the weapon and its user had become known as guides into the underworld.

The harsh winds and the diminishing light meant little to her, distractions to be ignored when faced with what was to come, when faced with her ultimate goal. And so she waited, staying perfectly still, her slow rhythmic breaths the only sign she was still amidst the living.

Narrowing her eyes she slightly increased the strength of her grip on the weapon that stood before her, the waiting was over.

Walking through the wastelands, slowly approaching her awaiting form, five figures had appeared.

Two were carrying optical blasters and she immediately dismissed them as a lesser threat, one was carrying a large caliber laser rifle, which while more dangerous than the blasters still could be easily defeated. The other two were carrying anti-personal weapons a FN Minimi light machine gun, a good support weapon in PVP battles, and a SIG SG550 assault rifle, a weapon capable of spitting out 5.56mm bullets and undeniably powerful, marking them as the real targets.

In this world weapons were separated in two categories, optical guns and live ammunition guns, both being very different from the other.

Optical guns were very light, capable of firing at a faster rate and with great accuracy, but its damage could be easily dispersed by defensive equipment. Live ammunition guns were very powerful and ignored defense fields, but forced the user to carry far more weight due to the ammunition necessary and could easily have its bullets trajectory affected by the wind and humidity.

For this reason as a rule optical guns were primarily used against monsters while live ammunition guns were used against other players.

With one last breath she prepared herself, taking in the cold surety Hecate was giving her. Focusing her scope on the SIG user her right index finger moved towards the trigger.

Hearing her heartbeat she matched that rhythm while moving her aim. The distance of 1500 meters between her and the target, wind direction and the target's movement speed meant she would have to shoot more than one meter to the upper right of him.

Touching the trigger a shining circle of green light appeared on her field of vision, a circle that wavered constantly, growing and shrinking in a cyclic manner. It was the Bullet Hit Prediction Circle which showed the probable hit location.

The circle size was affected by many factors, distance, weapon performance, weather, light levels, skills, stats values, but above all the most important parameter was the sniper's heartbeat.

At each beat the circle would reach its largest diameter, easily surpassing her target's size by over three times, giving only a 30 percent chance of hitting. Afterwards it would slowly shrink until reaching a small dot sized circle centered in the target's chest, assuring a kill-shoot.

And then the cycle would repeat itself, meaning that for the best accuracy the shoot had to be made in the valley between heartbeats. And accuracy was everything for a sniper, least the traceless first bullet that was a sniper greatest advantage was to be lost.

And that was the reason there were so few Snipers on this world. In a completely calm and relaxed state the heart beats 60 times in a minute, resulting in a one second cycle. But under stress that rate cool easily double or triple, making the ability to shoot between the valley of the heartbeats nearly impossible.

The normal player simply couldn't hit in such situations, turning to rapid fire weapons and far closer distances in order to minimize that disadvantage.

'_I am ice. I am a machine made of cold ice.'_ She thought as she drew the coldness of Hecate down to her very core and her heartbeat slowed almost to a halt.

The bullet circle wavering pattern immediately slowed down, while her sense of time appeared to extend. Once, twice, when the circle shrunk for the third time and aligned itself with the heart of the SGI user she pulled the trigger.

A thunderous roar filled the wastelands as Hecate released all her power in a storm of fire, Death in a crystallized form flew forward as the bullet easily broke through the sound barrier in its path towards the target. The recoil forcing the gun backwards as her silent form absorbed the impact.

Perhaps drawn by the flash the SGI user face turned towards her position, only to be immediately hit right in the chest. His avatar breaking down in a shower of polygons as if he were a glass panel struck down by a vengeful god, astonishment clear on his face in the moment it took for him to disappear.

The moment she had shoot her hands had automatically moved and pulled Hecate's bolt handle, ejecting a huge shell with an metallic sound and reloading even before the first target had been hit.

Shifting her rifle slightly to the right the Minimi user appeared on her scope, the bullet circle appearing again and immediately shrinking to a small dot. The first shoot had been made, now every single one of her shoots would release a Bullet Prediction Line, alerting players to the bullet trajectory and her position.

Pulling the trigger once again she released death against her opponent surprised form, counting on the momentary shock and confusion caused by her sudden strike against his teammate to take down her second target.

The bullet hit him straight trough the head, his avatar immediately disappearing while dropping the extremely expensive Minimi as a random drop. Four seconds had passed since the beginning of the battle.

The remaining players immediately rushed towards her position, finally suppressing their shock and pointlessly firing towards her distant form.

Reading another shoot she saw all three of her opponents dive for cover behind a large ruined wall, the first and most obvious cover in their sight.

'_Predictable.' _ She thought with a tinge of annoyance, pulling the trigger once again.

Her bullet sailed above the wall, hitting the small innocent looking round object that was resting on the floor right behind her targets, just where she had left it.

A massive ball of fire enveloped the area as the plasma grenade detonated due to the impact, taking down two of her opponents and throwing the last one away from cover.

Fixing her gaze upon his dazed form she pulled the trigger one last time in order to end this battle, his form disappearing in a shower of polygons before he could even regain his bearings.

Rising to her feet, she proceeded to collect the items her opponents had dropped before starting to walk down the path they had been trailing moments before towards SBC Gurokken, Gun Gale Online central city, her face completely impassive even after such a victory, for it had been just another day, just another battle.

And she would continue to seek those battles, to seek strong opponents, until she could find real strength, until her heart could become as hard as stone and her blood as cold as ice.

She would fight until the day would come that she would be able to shed away her weakness, until the day would come that she would be able to stand atop this world of death and slaughter and face her demons without hesitation, until she could face her past without fear.

Until the day would come when she could face that memory…

In the heavens the sun disappeared beyond the horizon and darkness stood forward to reign once again upon the wastelands, enveloping the sniper's silent form in it's all encompassing mantle.

* * *

Taking a look around Kirito had to hold back a sight; he really didn't want to be here in this high class dinner.

Elegant classical music circulated around the dinner area, very well dressed people happily chattered with each other while discretely giving him looks due to the old leather jacket and patched jeans he was wearing.

All in all he felt very out of place, and the fact that he didn't even like the person he was about to meet only added to his sour mood.

"Hey Kirito-kun, over here!" A young man wearing a suit happily called while waving his hand.

Taking a seat without trying to disguise his displeasure Kirito accepted the warm towel offered by a waitress while taking a look at the elegant wooden and leather coated menu.

"Since I made you come all this way it's my treat so order whatever you like." The man said with a sunny disposition while finishing a scrumptious looking cake.

"I would have even if you didn't say anything." Kirito replied sharply while looking down the menu and nearly asking for a plain coffee due to pure reflex upon seeing the extremely high prices on display, before remembering he wouldn't be paying.

After placing his order Kirito turned to the table other occupant, who had finished his cake and was starting upon an enormous pudding covered by a veritable mountain of cream. His happy look made Kirito suspect that he wouldn't be paying the bill directly either.

Kikuoka Seijirou looked like your typical serious and strict Japanese language teacher, with his black frame glasses and tacky haircut. But Kirito knew that despite his looks he was in fact a Japanese government official, belonging to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Advanced Network Division, more widely known as the Virtual Division.

"Yah, Kirito-kun, sorry for calling you in such short notice all this way out here. But then again this place has the best fresh cream I have ever had; perhaps I should order another Cream Puff while we are talking."

"Please stay on topic Kikuoka-san and also, I don't think you have the right to call me Kirito." He said in a matter of fact tone.

"That's so cruel Kirito-kun, wasn't I the first person by your side when you woke up after the incident?" Kikuoka said with fake hurt, not even bothering to stop eating his confection.

Holding back his annoyance Kirito had to acknowledge this fact, for he was indeed the first person to meet him after waking up, and even if his motives at the time had been for far than noble purposes, he had indeed helped him.

"Fine, it's about time you told me why you called me here. Is this about another net crime investigation? If so why couldn't we meet in game as we did the last time?"

Kirito strongly suspected that the new idea of using players as informants in order to find out about what was going on in the many virtual reality games that were constantly appearing had been Kikuoka's idea, after all when something fishy started happening in the VR worlds the players usually took notice far sooner than the administrators.

But what Kirito disliked was the fact that Kikuoka had started using SAO survivors in such capacities, claiming that they had the skill to find out far more than normal players ever could. And he had a strong suspicion that he was about to be asked to do something along those lines.

The two times before, he had been called due to his knowledge about VR programming and the many VR games, but never before had them met in person. Making it look like his role this time would be far more active than that of a mere consultant.

And even worse, while normally he would refused such a proposition in a heartbeat, he owed Kikuoka a huge debt, for it had been him who had informed Kirito of Asuna's hospital location, breaking quite a few rules to do that too.

If he hadn't been able to find Asuna in the real world and seen for himself Sugou Nobuyuki actions regarding his beloved, her rescue could have been delayed and Kirito shuddered to think of what could have happened if that had come to pass.

"Unh tell me Kirito do you think that in game actions can affect a person personality?" Kikuoka said avoiding the question.

"VRMMO games do cause a person to lower some inhibitions that's something that even I recognize, but what's your point?" This was one of the reasons he disliked Kikuoka, he was never direct, always circling around the point instead of going straight to it.

"Well let's take PKing for instance, in most of these games it's just a daily occurrence and taking in account the high level of graphic detail in some of those games wouldn't you say that it could be considered a training ground for murderers? Like that case last November where the criminal made a replica western sword and swung it around Shinjuku Station killing two people?" His voice was curious and light despite the grim topic.

"While it's true that looking at the crime rates around the country that incident barely makes a mark in the percentage of crimes, countermeasures really should be put into place to avoid idiots like that going wild, although I don't know how it would be possible to implement such a thing." Kirito replied uncomfortably due to the direction the conversation was going.

"Hmm… Your milie-feullie looks very good, may I have a bite?" Kikuoka replied with a pensive frown, forcing Kirito to hold back the urge to growl in annoyance before shoving his plate towards him.

"Thank you Kirito-kun." He said happily, already eating the sweet. "Do you remember our last talk? How many players turn to VR games in order to accomplish deeds they were unable to normally achieve and balance their superiority and inferiority complexes?"

"Yes, after all it's human nature to compete, and only by attaining a balance are we able to live our lives with no trouble, even going so far as stuffing our faces with sweets bought with taxpayer's money." Kirito replied with an innocent smile.

"You say such spiteful things so bluntly Kirito-kun." Kikouka said without a hint of embarrassment or hurt. "Oh well, we may have gotten a bit off track but we have reached today's objective. Please take a look at this." He said playing with a tablet before turning it towards Kirito.

The screen showed the picture of a young man with long hair and glasses, along with more information about him and his home.

"This is Shigemura Tamotsu, age 26, found dead in his apartment when his landlord went to check the source of an unpleasant smell. There were no signs of anyone entering his apartment and on his head he was wearing…"

"An AmuSphere I'm guessing." Kirito said with a grin expression.

"That's right; we immediately contacted his family and performed an autopsy to determine the cause of the mysterious death. Cause of death: acute heart failure due to unknown reasons, although it was determined that he hadn't eaten in nearly two days before his death."

Sadly such facts where not uncommon, since eating in game could provide the player with the felling of being full even if the real body hadn't eaten anything, some hardcore players would forsake meals in order to have more free time to play their games, sometimes undergoing serious risk to their health.

"While this is indeed tragic, it's not that uncommon this days, and you would not have called me here to simply discuss such a simple theory. What's up with this case?" Kirito said after making a small prayer for the young man's soul.

"This Shigemura had only one game installed in his AmuSphere, Gun Gale Online. In which he was ranked as the top ranked player in an event realized recently, his character name was Zekushiido." Kikouka said, his face serious for the first time in the meeting. "He died playing the game; in fact he was giving an interview for MMO Stream when it happened."

His words were bringing a feeling of unease to Kirito, even if he couldn't understand precisely why.

"He suffered heart failure during the show and was disconnected; their log recorded everything down to the second. And this is where it gets strange, during the transmission in one of the pubs in GGO central city a player stood up before Zekushiido's image, screamed about death and judgment and fired against the image."

"One player that was recording the program uploaded everything into a video site. The gun was fired at November 9th, at 11:30PM, 02 seconds. Shigemura-kun's disappearance from the show happened at 11:30PM, 09 seconds."

"That is just a coincidence right." Kirito said, taking a spoonful of the second cake he had ordered to counterbalance the bitter taste the topic was bringing to his mouth. "As a top player in the only Japanese game that has Pros in it, is quite likely there were many who disliked him and wouldn't hesitate to vent their frustration on his image since there wouldn't be any consequences."

"Yes that is what I thought, but that was not the only occurrence." He said somberly.

"…What?" Kirito asked unbelievingly, spoon frozen in place halfway to his mouth.

"There were two more deaths, let's skip the gory details but both died from sudden heart failures with no apparent cause. Both while connected to their AmuSpheres while playing GGO."

"Both were high level players in that game, Usujio Tarako and Kurama were their avatar names. Both suddenly disconnected from the game after being shot by an unknown player while inside the central city, an area were all damage should be immediately nullified."

"The Gunman is the same one from the Zekushiido incident?" Kirito asked trying to piece the puzzle together.

"Possibly, after all words like justice and death were again spoken by a character presenting himself with the same name Death Gun, just like with Zekushiido, but since the information was retrieved from a net forum thread its authenticity leaves much to be desired."

"A Death… Gun…" Kirito said slowly, pushing his plate to the side, all appetite for the expensive desserts lost. Repeating the name in his mind he couldn't help but think that, no matter how much the name might have been intended as a joke, it spoke of a coldness, a disregard for life, that somehow spoke about the player's character.

"You are sure they all died of heart failure? No brain damage?" Kirito asked for clarification, making a humorless smile to appear on Kikouka's face.

"Yeah I thought the same think, but no. The forensics team found no sign of brain damage, absolutely no abnormalities. Point in fact they could find nothing wrong physically that could explain the heart failures."

"Also an extensive research with the makers of the AmuSphere also turned up nothing. There is absolutely no way it could cause direct harm to the user, much less an sudden heart failure, at least as far as we know."

"…You did your homework for this meeting, huh, Kikouka-san? Is it an accident you managed to do your work by looking through passing rumors?" Kirito asked while looking as Kikouka's serious expression quickly disappeared, hidden behind his goofy smile.

Listening to his silly excuses Kirito thought once more that there was more to this government official than meets the eye, and not for the first time he wondered if Kikouka didn't actually work for the Department of National Security.

"…Anyway, regarding this case, I think the chances are over 90% that it's either an coincidence or a hoax, and that's why we need to disprove it before things escalate out of control. After all there is no way to hurt someone trough the AmuSphere, it's impossible, right Kirito-kun?"

"It seems you already investigated all the possibility's and picked the brains of the ministry elites. Why are you bringing this debate to me?" Kirito asked, trying to reason why he was being asked this.

"No, no, that's not it. Kirito-kun way of thinking is really stimulating and is always such a great help and also I like talking with you."

"But I don't like talking with you. Based on all that we know it's impossible to induce a heart failure from inside a game, therefore their deaths were coincidental. Good Bye and thank you for your hospitality." Kirito curtly replied getting up and turning around to leave.

He had a feeling that he had to leave for if the topic continued it wouldn't end in anything pleasant for him.

"Waaa, wait, wait! From here own is the real main topic! You can order another cake, just stay with me a moment longer please." Kikouka said in a frantic manner, stopping Kirito's retreat.

"Well I'm relieved Kirito-kun reached the same conclusion, I also thought such a thing was impossible. That said I do need a favor…"

'_Here it comes.'_ Kirito thought with a grimace, knowing he should have left while he had the chance.

"Can you log into Gun Gale Online, and contact this Death Gun guy?" He asked with an innocent smile.

"Contact him? Why not be open about it Kikouka-san. Go get shot by this Death Gun and see if your heart stops you mean! Go and see if that works yourself." Kirito replied in a cold voice, rising once again.

"Earlier we both decide that can't be real." Kikouka said while grabbing Kirito's sleeve in order to stop him from leaving. "And based on his three targets he only targets strong players, all three of them were top level players. Even if I tried it would take me years to get even near that level, but if it was you…" He trailed off meaningfully.

"GGO is not that easy, not with all the Pros that play it." Kirito snapped back.

"That er, what does Pro mean? You said it earlier as well."

"…It literally means people who make their daily income from the game. Gun Gale Online is the only game among the VRMMO gender that has a game coin to real money conversion system." Kirito reluctantly explained, feeling that by doing so he was being drawn into Kikouka's pace.

"Really? But how can it stay in business that way? Company workers and Staff are not exactly volunteers right?" He asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Just because it's possible doesn't mean all players manage to make money that way. The monthly fee for GGO is unusually high for a VRMMO, costing 3.000 yen, while an average player only manages to make a tenth of that value in a month. Only the top level players truly manage to earn money that way, while the masses of mid and low level players pay the price so to speak. And that's the reason I said there is quite a lot of resentment between players there, since you could say that the lower levels pay for the play time of the higher ones. It's similar to a government official eating stupidly expensive cakes with taxpayer's money." Kirito deadpanned.

"As usual Kirito-kun says things in such a harsh manner, I like that part of you." He said with a smile, completely unbothered the accusation.

"For those reasons the high level crowd in GGO can't be compared to most MMOs, and it's a game that deals around guns as the main form of combat, which I know next to nothing about. My condolences but you will have to find someone else to do your bidding."

"Wait you are the only one amidst my contacts that could do this, and it's not like we would simply throw you to the wolfs so to speak, you would dive from a hospital room under constant surveillance, so that you could be immediately removed from the game if something appeared to be happening. Besides if it's really that difficult and burdensome you could treat it as a job, a paid compensation for joint investigation you could say." Kikouka said releasing my sleeve and writing a number on a napkin.

The number made Kirito shudder, with that value he could easily buy all the newest high tier computer equipment that had just been released and there would still be plenty left to indulge in buying things for Asuna,Yui and Koneko. But at the same time the amount also made him narrow his eyes in suspicion.

"Don't lead me on Kikouka-san, why are you so obsessed with this? You said it yourself that it's probably an impossibility, just a wild rumor."

Instead of immediately answering, Kikouka started to fix his glasses, clearly buying time to think how much he would tell Kirito.

"Actually, my superiors are the one who are concerned. Full Dive technology is still in its infancy but its possibilities are already being felt." He said with a serious voice.

"It will be the driving power of our age but its freshness also brings along a level of uncertainty, while it's clearly impossible for this attacks to be real, if the rumor that it's possible to kill using the Full Dive was to spread the fear of the unknown would do the rest and bring it to an end. And so this matter must be brought to a close before that happens." He said in a serious voice.

"That unrest would be only amplified by the fact that the base program used in GGO is that SEED program that appeared on the net no one really knows how and is used in most of today games. I won't ask you to do something unreasonable, but we could really use your impression from meeting this player."

And upon hearing those words Kirito started to silently curse himself for not leaving when he had the chance. Realizing that he had been pushed into a situation in which he simply couldn't say no.

Besides himself only Agil knew the origin of the VRMMO development support package The SEED, or how it had come to be released for free on the internet.

If there was truly a way to interfere from the virtual world into the real world, and The SEED was the cause for that it was his responsibility to prevent its misuse, since he was the one to unleash it into the world.

The very idea seemed ludicrous, completely impossible. There was absolutely no way a VR game could influence reality in such a way.

'_But a couple of months ago I would say the same about the existence of devils.'_ Kirito thought grimly. _'And before Aincrad I would say the same about being trapped in a virtual reality death game made by a crazy genius.'_

'_Could it be possible that the incident that started so long ago has yet to end? Kayaba had been striving to create a new reality and not just a game. Could this be the result?'_

His thoughts drifted to an interview he had seen during the Beta, an interview in which Kayaba explained the origin of the name Aincrad.

In his words the world of SAO was to be a first step in a journey to transform the imaginary into fact, to turn dreams into reality.

And so the great floating castle that would soon be explored would be the first step into what he called 'The Realized World'. That great castle was to be the true beginning of a new world; it was supposed to be **A**n **Inc**arnating **Rad**ius, Aincrad.

Kirito had to know. Even if the idea was an impossibility he had seem with his own eyes the impossible being turned into reality.

Looking towards Kikouka he felt like growling in annoyance, the smirk on his face showing that the government official had known all along that in the end Kirito simply wouldn't say no.

"…I understand. As annoying as it is, if it's only entering the game I will go. But I don't know whether or not I will meet this Death Gun that is if he even exists."

"Oh didn't I mention it earlier?" He asked innocently. "During the first incident a player took an audio log of Death Gun's little speech. Here by all means listen."

Cursing Kikouka with all his being, Kirito grabbed the earphones offered and listened.

"This is real power, real strength! Face justice and engrave the fear of this name in your hearts!"

"This gun's name and mine: Death Gun!"

The metallic sound that accompanied the voice as it spoke tinged it with a somewhat inhuman feeling.

And yet, from behind the voice Kirito could feel the presence of the living player behind the character, a presence that spoke of the cold desire to kill, the genuine wish for slaughter.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I seriously underestimated the length it would be necessary to explain what was happening and deliver the quest to Kirito. Nevertheless to cut that off would leave the story hanging in the air in my opinion.

Kikouka and Kirito's discussion was necessary to both explain and set the pace for GGO, but somehow this made me feel like I was doing an intro to a Star Wars movie, quickly explaining the background story in the first scene so the next scene could immediately cut to a space battle of epic proportions.

Those who have read the light novel will immediately see both the similarities and the differences in their discussion. Differences that I hope to build upon in order to implement my own ideas for the GGO arc.

Thanks for reading, and please review.


	10. Chapter 10 - Of Guns and Swords

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, I would like to thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, I would like to politely ask that reviewers who want to receive answers to questions made in their reviews to please enable the Private Message function otherwise I'll be unable to answer.

Thirdly, this chapter is a little slow but it finishes the groundwork for the arc. Next chapter things will start picking up again.

**Lastly: I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Of Guns and Swords**

"So you will be unavailable through most of the weekend doing an in game investigation, do to this Kikouka's request?" Rias asked while examining her nervous looking [Rook].

Rias prided herself with being quite familiar with her peerage little habits and idiosyncrasies, her newest members were no exception to that.

Seeing Kirito smiling while rubbing the back of his head she knew there was probably more to the story than she had just been told.

"You know Kirito-kun, you don't sound very enthusiastic about doing this. I know that since it was asked by a government official you normally would feel compelled to agree. But only a bit of my hypnotism and he would leave you alone." She said with a kind smile, testing the waters with the offer.

"I will admit that it's troublesome." Kirito said with a sigh. "But I couldn't do that Buchou. I owe him a huge debt since he did help me find Asuna after all. Now that he needs my help I can't just simply dismiss him."

Rias could understand that, the desire to repay the help received in defense of a loved one. The bond between Kirito and Asuna was strong; they would do anything for the other and anyone who helped one of them would have the instant support of the other.

Taking a sip of her tea Rias decided she would allow it. A debt had to be honored after all, so it was best to put it to rest soon rather than allow it to loom over her [Rook's] conscience.

"Very well, you may do so." Rias said smiling at the relieved look that appeared on his face. "But if this Kikouka decides that his job allows him to try and demand more than you want to provide call me immediately."

The glint in her eyes as she said that clearly conveyed the message to her [Rook]. No one would hurt her peerage.

"Thanks Rias, but this should be simple. After this weekend we can put it to rest." Kirito said, unnerved but also strangely touched by her protectiveness.

"Oh well, at least you have good timing." Rias said causing a confused look to appear on Kirito's face. "My family has been persistently asking me to go home for a few days, using the most absurd of excuses."

The way she said the world family showed she had yet to forgive them for the arranged marriage stunt they had tried to pull off.

"They are probably trying to do some damage control now that I escaped their little plot."She explained with a fierce smile. "So I can just give the peerage an weekend off as I go with Akeno to the Gremory state this weekend."

Nodding his understanding Kirito left the clubroom under his [King] analyzing gaze.

There was certainly more to this request than he had said, Rias was sure about it. But whatever it was, it also was clearly personal, so she would allow him his space.

She had no intention in meddling with the personal lives of her peerage members. If they asked for help she would do it in a heartbeat, but otherwise she would allow then to deal with their own problems while making sure they knew they had her support.

'_And besides, it's just a game.'_ She calmly thought finishing her tea. _'What could possible go wrong with that?'_

* * *

A dry and chill wind was blowing through the city, forcing those journeying home to cover their bodies in search of warmth and hurry in their paths guided by the setting sun.

Pausing to fix the white muffler that hid most of her face, a young brown haired girl watched the twilight sky somberly through her glasses.

'…_Now out of the total 608 days of high school 158 have passed.'_ Asada Shino thought while re-starting to walk.

A quarter of her high school life had already passed, fading away into the past. And while she had no set goal or ambition for beyond graduation she still was looking forward to that day.

A day in which she would shed away all connections with the group known as high school students, and be finally free.

Redoing the same pointless routine day after day, listening to the lectures of lethargic teachers who barely knew what they were speaking and interacting with a bunch of people she doubted had changed in even a single way since childhood.

She simply saw no meaning in that. In very exceptional circumstances there were teachers who taught meaningful subjects or students who were worth of respect, but those were the exceptions, not the norm. But even them, to her none of their existences were essential.

'_It will end someday…'_ She repeatedly said in her mind like a mantra, ignoring the wind that was blowing against her face.

She had wanted to avoid high school altogether, working or attending a vocational school in order to train to work. But her grandparents, now her legal guardians, would hear none of that, and so for their sake she had studied and entered a good high school.

And so in the end Shino, just as she had in middle school, routinely counted the remaining days before the end as she journey out the school gates each day.

Shino lived alone in a small apartment locate halfway between the school and the train station. But despite its small size it was nice and conveniently situate next to the shopping district and a nearby park.

"Asada…" A voice called her name sharply, interrupting her journey home and making her flinch.

Slowly turning her head she saw three female students dressed in the same uniform she was wearing standing in an alley between two stores.

One of them was squatting down and manipulating her cell phone, while the other two were leaning against the walls while smiling at her silent form.

"Come over here." One of them demanded arrogantly, grabbing her wrist and dragging her into the alley without waiting for a response.

Raising her head from the phone Endou, the leader of the three contorted her glittered lips into a smile.

"Sorry Asada. We just sang so much Karaoke and now we have no money for the train home. So you are going to lend us some money, ten thousand yen should do, don't you think?"

"There is no way I would have so much." Asada Shino said, looking at the trio and wondering how she could have called them friends one day, silently berating her own past foolishness.

"Then go withdraw some more." Endou said, her smile growing into a predatory grin. "And leave you bag and purse here while you are at it, you only need your card after all, don't worry we will take good care of them until you return."

Seeing the shine in their eyes, like cats playing with their prey, Shino felt only disgust and a hollow ache in her chest.

She had met them when she had started school after moving out of the countryside, and upon being invited to have lunch with them on her first week at school had been far too grateful to realize the truth, blinded in her happiness of having friends after so long alone.

Alone in a new place where no one knew about her and her past, where no one knew of her sins, Shino had hoped she could have been happy, that she could have been normal.

But the world would not allow it. Not for a sinner, not for her.

After a couple of weeks she had realized that they were merely using her. They saw her as a convenient tool, and the fact she lived alone allowed them to use her apartment for acts they normally would be unable to do at their homes.

After returning home one day and hearing loud voices laughing and partying inside her apartment, voices she did not recognize along with Endou and her friends, she had called the police.

The trio had not been happy do to her action of evicting them and their male friends out of her apartment, and while she had cut all ties with them, they had not allowed her to escape unpunished.

Retaliation came quickly. After investigating the reason why Shino lived alone they found about the incident that happened so long ago, a fact that had nearly been forgotten even in the net.

Her past was exposed to the whole school. The students willing to talk with her disappeared completely and even the teachers avoided looking her in the eye.

Everything returned to what it had been in middle school, leaving her completely alone.

Her weakness of wanting a friend had clouded her eyes. At that moment she realized that there is no one who can save you but yourself and that only by getting rid of her weakness and growing strong would she be able to finally go forward and leave the past behind.

She had to become strong, friends were unnecessary to such a task. Rather enemies were fine, enemies to fight with.

Taking a calming breath she stood there in silence, staring Edou right in the eyes.

"What? Hurry up and go already?" Edou said angrily, the smile disappearing from her face.

"I don't want to. I have no intention of lending you money." Shino replied without averting her gaze.

Such a firm rejection would undoubtedly provoke even more malice and hostility. But even so Shino would not allow their request, for doing so would be a weakness, and a single weakness could undo her entire quest for true strength.

"You bitch!" Endou shouted while taking a step forward. "Are you looking down on me? "

"I'm leaving now, so move aside." She said ignoring the threatening motions the trio were making. She knew they didn't have the courage to take action, relying exclusively in intimidation to get what they wanted. They would not do something that could be proved before the police.

Her lips changing into a mocking smile Endou held in her anger. She knew what to do to get what she wanted without having to resort to violence. For she knew Shino weak spot, the only thing she could not defend against.

Slowly raising her hand, she pointed it towards Shino glasses. Her index finger pointed forward and thumb raised, forming a crude imitation of a gun, a silly childish caricature.

However that simple action envelope Shino's entire body in a chilling sensation of dread.

Her heart beat that had been calm and level during the whole confrontation suddenly spiked. Her strength vanished from her body while in her eyes the alley appeared to lose focus.

She was no longer standing in the alley between stores; she was standing in the middle of a postal office, a dark and looming figured reaching towards her. Reaching towards her and her blood stained hands.

"Bang!" Edou called with a cruel smirk on her face.

Almost simultaneously Shino released a blood-curdling scream, her body trembling uncontrollably as she fell to her knees.

"For the time being we'll let you off with what you have on you now, Asada. You look sick anyway." Edou said amidst her friend's laughter, reaching towards Shino's bag.

Shino couldn't react, her hands trapped by the heavy, wet feel of iron, her nose consumed by the burning smell of gunpowder.

'_Don't think about it, don't remember it!'_ She desperately thought while fighting against the memories that were assaulting her mind.

"This way Mr. Patrolman, hurry!" A young man's voice called from one of the alley's entrance, making Edou and her friends to quickly run towards the crowded streets.

'_I am ice, I'm a machine made of cold ice.'_ She thought amidst ragged breaths, slowly recovering as the nightmarish flashback faded away.

"…Are you okay, Asada-san?" A timid voice asked from behind her.

Feeling her heartbeat returning to normal Shino gave the young man a small smile. "I am alright. Thank you, Shinkawa-kun. But where is the police?" She asked puzzled seeing the empty alley.

"It was a bluff. It happens a lot in movies and manga right? I always wanted to try it once. I'm glad it worked." Shinkawa Kyouji said with a smile on his face.

"You always come up with this kind of things." She said with a little wonder and a shake of her head. "But what are you doing here?"

"Ah I had just left the game center over there and saw Asada-san surrounded…" He said pointing towards a small shop nearby before trailing off.

"Thanks, you were a great help." She said giving him a smile while she stood back up.

"It was no problem, I'm always glad to help Asada-san." He said while closing his eyes.

Shinkawa Kyouji was one of Shino's classmates before the summer holydays, key word being was, since he hadn't returned to the school since due to severe bullying and was now studying in his home.

They first meet each other in the public library, where she was reading a magazine about firearms.

She was finally able to look at the pictures without panicking, but looking at the page of **that** gun for ten seconds was her limit. But just as she closed the book he had approached her asking if she liked guns.

The conversation that followed allowed them to see that they were alike in some manners; both being isolated from others their age and allowing Shino to make her first and only ally.

But more importantly, that conversation enlightened her to the existence of another world.

Not a world of fantasy and magic but a world of guns and slaughter, a world where she could battle her fears and overcome her past.

She still remembered how she fervently asked if **that** gun existed in that world, much to his surprise as he confirmed it.

And so she had joined that world, she had joined Gun Gale Online in hope of facing off her fears. Resulting in the birth of the Sniper Sinon, a ruthless warrior feared across the wastelands of that world.

She had still to meet an opponent wielding **that **gun, but she believed it would happen someday, and until that day she would keep seeking strength in that world of bullets in hopes that some of the strength Sinon possessed could be passed towards Shino.

"Hey would you like a drink?" Kyouji asked with a smile. "There is a good tea shop over there, my treat."

"…Really?"

"I want to hear about your most recent rampage story. What's this I heard of you taking down a five man party by yourself?" He asked curiously guiding her towards the shop.

As Shino followed him, telling about her recent battle, she couldn't help a small shiver when she saw Kyouji's eyes reflecting the sun's crimson rays, as his eyes looked like they were tinged with blood.

Shaking her head to get rid of such silly thoughts she entered the tea shop.

"So are you entering the Bullet of Bullets this time Asada-san." He asked after hearing about the ambush in the wastelands.

"I will enter of course. This time I will bring Hecate. This time I will…" _'Kill'_ her mind thought but she refrained from saying it out loud. "…reach the upper ranks, this time I will win."

In that tournament filled with powerful warriors she would kill all her enemies. And then when she knew for sure she was the strongest, then for sure…

"I see." Kyouji said with a strange shine in his eyes. "Asada-san is amazing after all. I'm sure you can do it."

"Sorry I need to go home soon and make dinner." Shino said ending the conversation, being slightly unnerved by the look in Kyouji's eyes.

She did not hate him, quite the contrary. He was a strong ally and talking with him was one of the few ways she had to relax in the real world.

But for the moment she didn't want to consider anything beyond their current relationship. Not until she could destroy the darkness that nested deep within her heart, triumphing over that memory.

"Thanks again for saving me; we'll see each other later in game."

"Not a problem, I am always happy to help Asada-san." He said with a smile, his eyes shining as he followed her out of the tea shop. "See you later Asada-san."

* * *

Standing before the large municipal hospital in Chiyoda ward, a municipal of central Tokyo, Kirito had to fight down a wave of both nostalgia and forlornness.

This was the hospital in which his body had resided during the SAO incident, and also the place where he had done his rehabilitation while looking for Asuna.

It seemed oddly fitting that it would be the place where he would search for this Death Gun.

Asuna had been less than thrilled by the fact he was transferring his account from ALO, but understood his desire to repay the debt they had with Kikouka.

She believed he was doing only an in game investigation and he hadn't corrected her. Kirito knew that if she knew about what was really happening she wouldn't allow him to enter GGO. Or even worse, would follow him into the game.

Point in fact the same could be said about Rias and the rest of the peerage. They would not allow him to risk himself in such a way, not without their help.

And that's why he didn't say the whole truth to Asuna, Rias and the others.

In the off chance there was more to this than a mere rumor he simply couldn't allow Asuna and the others to be expose to the danger. He wouldn't allow anyone he cared about to face that risk.

Besides if this was indeed caused by the SEED then it was his responsibility to solve it since he had been the one to unleash it into the world.

'_It's for the best.'_ He thought grimly while moving towards the room he had been assigned to. _'Although, if Asuna does find out about this there will be hell to pay.'_

He really didn't want Asuna to be angry with him, especially since she had finally discovered what a powerful weapon her cooking really was.

Even Issei would reel in his perverted tendencies under the threat of no longer tasting the snacks she provided for the peerage.

And Koneko would probably beat him to a pulp, while Yui berated him for his idiocy.

'_Yes its best they don't know about this.' _He decided while opening the door.

"Kirigaya-kun, long time no see!" A nurse with long braided hair friendly called as she approached him.

Her name was Aki, and she had helped Kirito during his long rehabilitation.

"Good, it seems you are finally putting up some weigh. You were so thin last time."

Her smile was kind and warming, but Kirito knew from personal experience that she could be extremely scary if crossed.

"I heard about you while talking with that government official with glasses. You are doing an investigation right? Even though it hasn't been a year since you came back. You really push yourself too hard Kirigaya-kun."

"Given that, since I was in charge during you rehabilitation I was asked to keep check of the monitors. So we will be working together again for a short while, I'll be in your care."

"Ah… Same here." Kirito finally managed to speak while Aki proceeded to examine his health. "So, that government guy with glasses didn't come?" He asked noticing they were alone in the room.

"Yeah he said something about a meeting he couldn't get out of. He entrusted me with a message for you."

Opening the offered envelope Kirito started to read, before quickly crushing it in a small ball and shoving it in his jacket.

'_I'm going to kill him next time I see him.'_ He thought fighting back the blush that was threatening to spread to his cheeks due to Kikouka's insinuations about he being alone with the nurse written in the letter.

"Now then, please strip Kirigaya-kun." Aki said in a professional tone.

"W-what?!" Kirito exclaimed, losing his battle against the blush.

"We must place the electrodes in order to keep an accurate analyzes of your health. And besides when you were hospitalized I already saw everything so there is no need to be shy." She said in an innocent tone of voice.

"Uh, is just the top okay?" He said in resignation.

Laying on a bed he was connected to the myriad of health diagnosis machines in the room, and seeing the monitor carefully displaying his heartbeat Kirito knew that at least on this Kikouka had been truthful.

"I must say I'm impressed Kirigaya-kun, you are in perfect health condition. All signs of atrophy have completely disappeared; there aren't many that would take such good care of their bodies." She happily commented while checking the machines.

'_I wonder if that's because I turned into a Devil, or maybe it's thanks to Asia.'_ He thought while putting an AmuSphere on.

"Alright, I'll see you in a couple of hours." Kirito said receiving a nod in return. "Link Start."

* * *

Opening his eyes Kirito was greeted by the sight of SBC Gurokken.

Great metallic buildings rising as if to pierce the heavens, countless corridors and walkways crisscrossing the sky like a net and neon colored advertisements shining between the buildings.

All in all it really gave the Sci-Fi feeling of an starship that was turned into a city when its crew landed on the devastated lands below to re-colonize the planet.

Behind him was the spaceport, a dome shaped building in which the newly created avatars arrived, as if colonizers arriving from the stars.

Seeing the predominantly male crowd milling trough the streets he couldn't help but compare it to ALO which had a far more equal male female ratio.

But here the norm seemed to be rough, burly man. Clad in military style clothing and carrying around intimidating realistic looking weapons.

It really was a different world from ALO. Here intimidation was a sensible factor, as could be seen by the scars purposely displayed by many players.

Looking for a reflective surface Kirito wondered about his appearance, hoping it would be something intimidating enough to draw Death Gun's attention.

GGO was unique in the fact that it did not allow any character customization, the game would pick the player base appearance and randomly build upon that using a vast set of premade avatars as a base.

If the player was dissatisfied with the resulting look the only option left was to create an entirely new account, forsaking the previous one and putting oneself once again in the hands of luck while praying for a better result.

Seeing the appreciative looks he was receiving from the nearby players Kirito started to have a very bad premonition.

Hurrying towards a large polished metal plate he looked at his newly created avatar, an avatar that was carrying all his abilities and skills from ALO and as such could not be forsaken no matter what.

His jaw immediately dropped as he stood there unresponsive as his brain tried to comprehend what his eyes were seeing.

'_Somehow, someway I know this is your fault Kayaba.'_ Was the first coherent thought that passed through Kirito's mind when he finally recovered from the shock of his new appearance.

* * *

Sinon silently walked towards the presidential villa of SBC Gurokken planning to inscribe herself on the third Bullet of Bullets tournament that would start today.

This time she would succeed, she would defeat the best this world had to offer and find real strength. Strength to bury the weakness she carried as her real self.

"Excuse me I seen to be a little lost…" A low voice called from behind her.

Turning around with a scowl on her face she prepared herself to get rid of the creep that was probably trying to flirt with her. The number of females playing GGO was so small that practically every time she wandered through the city someone tried that up.

But the scowl quickly fled her face upon seeing who had called her, long black hair that stopped around the shoulder blades, beautiful porcelain white skin, expressive black eyes with long eyelashes that showed confusion and worry and a petite body nearly her height that was fidgeting with worry.

"…Did you just start this game? Where are you going?" Sinon asked with a small smile.

There were extremely few females in this game, and despite the fierce competition Sinon had no problem in helping a clearly confused new one.

"Ah…um…" The player tried to speak with an embarrassed and a conflicted look. "Yes, my name is Kirito and it is my first time. Where would a cheap weapons shop and the administration building be? I want to go to those places but…"

"The administration building? What are you going there for?"

"Well… to enter the battle royal event that will be starting soon." He answered causing Sinon's eyes to rise in surprise.

"Even thought you started today? There are no rules against it but your level is probably nowhere near enough to face the competition."

"Ah this isn't an initial character; it was converted from another game."

"Ah so that's how it is." She said with her smile back into place. "If you don't mind me asking why have you decide to come to this game that's full of dust and reeks of oil?"

"That is…uhh, until now I have always played fantasy games, so I thought I should try a cyber game… something like a gun battle sounded interesting." Kirito said while rubbing the back of his head.

"I see. You got guts." She said with a laugh. "Alright, follow me, lucky for you I'm also going towards the administration building. Is there some weapon you prefer…"

Leading Kirito towards the weapon shop she talked about the various weapons that existed in the game. But upon reaching the shop an obvious problem appeared.

Kirito starting money was nowhere near enough to buy a decent weapon, not to mention the rest of the equipment needed.

"Isn't there a way to make the necessary money fast?" Kirito asked while berating himself for forgetting something so obvious.

"Well there are the games of chance and skill spread throughout the city, but the ones that pay anything worthwhile are extremely difficult if not downright impossible." Sinon said in a worried tone.

"For instance that game over there." She pointed to a large corridor like walled area on the street. In the end of the corridor there was a gunman holding a revolver and above his head there was a sign reading Untouchable. "It's a game about avoiding gunfire, once you enter you have to get as far as you can without getting hit."

"How do you play it?"

"Well it costs 500 credits to play, if you cross the ten meter mark you win 1000 credits, and 2000 for fifteen meters. And if you reach the gunman you win all the money players have poured in it until now."

"All of it?!" Kirito asked in disbelief, looking at the display saying the amount would exceed 300.000 credits. Considering that his starting amount was only 1.000 credits that would easily allow him to buy the best equipment available.

"Yeah but despite the high payout it's impossible." She said shrugging her shoulders. "The NPC reacts to players approaching the 10 meter line with cheating quick draws, and even thought it's a revolver it can do a 3-round burst fire and reload incredibly fast. By the time you can see the prediction line it's over."

"Prediction line…" Kirito mumbled, remembering what he had read about GGO gaming system.

"Look there is someone going to increase the sum again." She said pointing to a military looking player who had just entered the corridor after paying the fee.

They watched as he awkwardly dodged the lines only he could see in order to avoid the bullets while slowly approaching the ten meter mark.

But just as Shinon had said, the moment he approached the line the NPC started to fire three consecutive shots at an impressive speed immediately hitting the player before he could evade.

"Hm… I see, by the time you can see the prediction line it's already too late." He muttered while heading towards the game.

"Hey, wait a second you…" Sinon tried to say, but he had already paid the admission fee.

Shaking her head and resting her hands on her hips Sinon proceeded to watch with the rest of the crowd as Kirito settled himself in a low dash position.

When the timer went to zero he immediately dashed forward at full sprint before suddenly jumping forward to the right and kicking the wall to return to the center, avoiding the first bullets without losing any of his momentum.

And again when the gunman fired he evaded in the same high speed, manner never stopping on his advance and crossing the ten meter mark.

The NPC reloaded his weapon in less than half a second before unleashing all his bullets while breaking the rhythm of the shoots in order to minimize the chances of evasion.

But once again Kirito twisted and turned, gliding amidst the bullets with amazing speed and crossing the fifteen meter mark.

'_Unbelievable, is this the strength of a high level fantasy player?' _Sinon thought in wonder at the display of skill.

The gunman unleashed his next six shoots in a wide arc, covering all sides. But Kirito threw his body down, sliding on the metal floor inches below one of the bullets.

But just as she was about to celebrate his victory, Kirito jumped up with all his might. Avoiding the next six shoots that had been fired even thought the gunman had not reloaded.

Looking at the small delicate form that had just reached the NPC amidst a victorious fanfare, Sinon decided that Kirito could actually be a worthy opponent.

Before she was just indulging a new player with more courage than common sense, but now she was looking forward to fighting against someone with such skill, such strength.

"How did you do that? There is no way you could dodge based on the prediction lines, what kind of reflexes do you have?" She asked in wonder. "You avoided the last shoots from less than two meters, at that distance the time difference between the prediction lines and the bullets is practically zero!"

"All NPC's and monster, and most players as well, look at the place they are targeting. So I guess is just a matter of predicting the prediction lines." He replied offhandedly while walking towards the shop.

"Predict the prediction lines?" She muttered in disbelief.

Seeing that Kirito was not trying to be vague or mysterious on purpose she actually smiled at the absurdity of it all.

_'To actually believe such an insane thing is a viable method of evasion.'_ She tough in silent bemusement.

Shaking her head Sinon noticed Kirito was staring at a corner of the shop in wonder, his eyes practically sparkling in joy.

Seeing the tube like metal cylinder he was staring at she nearly laughed.

He was already one of the most unconventional players she had ever seen, but if he was seriously considering buying one of those as a weapon he would cement his place at the very top.

"Are those light sabers?" He asked in wonder.

"Those are Kouken, or Sword of Light." She said smiling at the childish reaction. "The actual name of the weapon is Photon Sword, Kagemitsu G4, but everyone just call it a light saber."

"It's actually a pretty strong weapon, but due to its extremely limited range there is practically no one who uses it, since you would be turned into a honeycomb long before reaching the enemy."

"In other words as long as I can reach the target it's alright?" Kirito asked with a smile.

"B-but even with your evasion skills against fully automatic weapons…" But before she could even finish speaking Kirito had already bought the weapon.

Sighing in resignation she watched as Kirito swung his light saber trough an intricate sword pattern.

"Uhm, it's really light." He commented with a small tinge of annoyance.

"Of course, being light is practically this weapon only quality." She replied in a matter of fact tone. "You will need a side arm in order to suppress your enemies if you are to have a chance of using that sword. Since you used nearly half your money in that, it will have to be a handgun, a FN Five Seven would probably be best; also you will need a bulletproof jacket and a defense field for optical guns…"

Sinon then proceeded to gather all the equipment Kirito would need, all the while muttering about hopeless newbie's.

* * *

After paying for everything they had rushed out of the store upon realizing the time, they had barely twenty minutes before inscriptions for the tournament would be closed.

But after a wild ride atop an out of control Buggy they managed to make it in time.

'_I can't believe we made it in time. And where did Kirito learn how to drive those dinosaurs anyway.'_ Sinon thought after deciding she would forgive Kirito for nearly making her lose the tournament since he had managed to get them there in time.

The Buggys were extremely fast, but since their mechanics were extremely true to the original, very few knew how to properly operate the antiques and they were considered to be hard to handle by most players.

But the ride had been thrilling, and in the end she had managed to input all the information needed, such as name, age and address, in her profile on time.

"Sorry for making so much trouble for you." Kirito said with regret as they stepped out of the elevator, entering in a great shadowed waiting area filled with people and massive screens on the walls.

"It's alright, the ride was rather fun. By the way, which group you are in?"

"I'm in group F. Group F, number 37." He said looking at a screen.

"That's great; I'm also in Group F, number twelve. That means that we can only face each other in the final of the preliminaries." She smiled at the news.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because both members of the final match immediately qualify for the battle royal part of the tournament, but Kirito, if we do meet at the final's know that I won't hold back!"

"Ah… I see. If we meet I will definitely do my best." He answered, smiling in kind.

"Well let's go change into our battle clothes and equip our gear. Come on the restroom is this way."

And before Kirito could properly realize what had just been said, Sinon had grabbed his hand and dragged him through a door.

"Such naive guys." She said while locking the door. "Showing of their weapons before the tournament in an attempt to intimidate others, that's just asking for people to think of way to deal with you, Kirito you better only equip your Light saber and the Five Seven right before your match." She told him in a stern tone of voice.

After saying that and before Kirito could say anything in return Sinon manipulated her menu, removing all her current equipment, leaving her only on her underwear.

Hearing a strangled noise Sinon turned around to see a completely scarlet faced Kirito very conspicuously staring at the ceiling.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and change." She said in confusion, wondering why Kirito was reacting in such a strange manner.

"Well... ehm… You see… that…" Kirito valiantly tried to find an explanation to the situation he was in, but words kept failing him.

Taking a deep breath, Kirito finally materialized his info card. It was a GGO function that enables a player to bestow upon another all their relevant in game information, such as avatar name, squadron affiliation and most importantly in this case, gender.

Taking the card in bemusement Sino started to read it.

Seconds ticked by as the silence filling the room grew with each moment, an eerie feeling permeating the atmosphere.

"This can't be… You… with such an avatar?!" She finally broke the silence, her voice disbelieving.

Seeing the player she had believed to be female all this time finally lowering his gaze Sinon decide on her course of action.

Raising her hand she put all her considerable strength stat, developed by hours of wielding an extremely heavy Sniper Rifle, into a forward motion.

"You pervert!" She yelled as she hit him in the face, throwing him spinning towards the ground as purple light effects danced across his sight.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Personally I always thought that Kirito's GGO avatar was a joke sprung by Kayaba from inside the cyberspace.

When I first read that I could easily imagine Kayaba floating through the cyberspace looking at a feed with Kirito's reaction upon seeing his avatar with a smile on his face.

I decided to invert the focus of their meeting. In the light novels we see the meeting through Kirito's eyes, so I decided to portrait it through Sinon's eyes instead.

For those who haven't read the SAO Light Novels and are wondering why Asada Shino had such an extreme reaction upon seeing the mere likeness of a gun in the real world here is some background information:

When Shino was fewer than two years old, she was involved in a car accident. By the time anyone noticed the accident, it had been 6 hours. During the 6 hours, Shino's father slowly died from internal bleeding while her mother watched. Her mother was traumatized by the event and became very frail and was hurt easily.

This resulted in Shino becoming overprotective of her mother. Nine years later, Shino was traumatized after she attempted to protect her mother during a robbery at a postal office, and ended up killing the robber with his own gun. As a result, she developed an intense fear of guns and slight fear of men.

She entered the world of Gun Gale Online as a form of self imposed therapy, believing that if she could find strength in that world of guns she would be able to overcome her trauma.

For those who think the peerage should have a more active role in the arc, don't worry they are going to get involved. At this point it's only Kirito's character and hero complex that is driving him to try and keep everyone from harm and do things by himself.

Next chapter the action will restart, and also some changes will start to make themselves felt.

Anyways thanks for reading and please review.


	11. Chapter 11 - Ghosts of the Past

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, this chapter is still a little too close to the LN in my opinion, but the more major changes will only really work well in the second part of the tournament. When I tried them here they looked too forced, so they will wait until the next chapter.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Ghosts of the Past**

Standing in the middle of a clearing that stood in a far away corner of the park near to their apartment Asuna concentrated in the task at hand.

Calming her breath she cleared her mind, eyes closed as she focused only on the shape she wanted. She could feel her demonic-power rising to the surface, answering to her will.

'_Focus at the shape in your mind, make it as real as possible.'_ She thought remembering Akeno's advice. _'Direct your power fueled by your conviction, will its existence into the world and so it shall be.'_

A faint blue aura started to envelop her body, filing her with a sense of serenity and protection, like the calm waters of a clear pristine lake.

Opening her eyes she quickly raised one hand towards a faraway tree, her other hand grabbing her arm to stabilize the aim.

Water started to form before her hand, gathering and condensing into a dense sphere the size of a melon that hovered right before her open palm.

Taking aim she fired the sphere at high speeds towards the large tree, leaving a deep indentation on its bark due to the pressure it exerted upon impact.

"Mama you did it!" Yui happily exclaimed from her perch on Koneko's shoulder at the edge of the clearing. "You really did it!"

Lowering her hands she smiled towards the little fairy girl that had just taken wing and was excitedly flying circles around Koneko's sitting form. The small [Rook] giving a small smile and nod towards her direction before gingerly biting another cookie from the basket at her side.

Satisfied with the results she had obtained Asuna decided a little snack was just what she needed after the arduous process she had undergone in order to finally translate the spell into reality.

Both she and Kirito had been wondering if it was possible to translate ALO spells and skills into the real world for a while now. The fact they did so with their SAO skills gave them hope it would be possible, but in practice they discovered it was far more difficult.

The key difference was their conviction. While after the time they spent in SAO they had come to see their sword skills like a natural part of themselves, and so had absolute conviction in their effectiveness. The same could not be said about the fairy spells from ALO.

The spell Pressure Sphere was one of the most basic Undine attacks in ALO, but even so it had taken her the better part of two hours before being able to materialize it using her demonic-power and another hour to finally make it work right.

But in the end she did it, and she couldn't wait to show it to Kirito. His expression after seeing she had made the breakthrough of materializing a spell would be priceless, she was sure of it.

Sitting next to Koneko, Asuna gave her a one armed hug, smiling at the small flush it provoked before giving Yui a cookie as she sat in her new usual perch on the [Rook's] shoulder.

Watching the small girls at her side Asuna could feel a warm glow in her chest. Koneko and Yui were getting closer by the day and she was really starting to think that Yui had been far more accurate than she believed when she had called Koneko Onee-chan.

'_I wonder how Kirito is doing.'_ She thought, as her mind drifted towards her absent husband with a small amount of worry.

Kirito's actions towards Kikouka's request had been slightly suspicious. He had acted far too tense for such a simple task.

'_But them again it is Kikouka who he is working with.' _She thought with a small smile.

While she would admit that the government official had a difficult personality to deal with, Kirito apparently couldn't be in the same building than the man without wanting to throttle him. So his nervousness could be attributed to that.

Deciding to put the subject to rest she continued to eat her snack while listening to Yui excitedly retelling her week at school.

After all, on SAO Kirito proved to be able to handle practically anything that could be sent his way. She was sure he could deal with a simple investigation without finding trouble.

* * *

"Stop following me!" Sinon all but hissed at the small petite figure that was shadowing her footsteps.

"I said I was sorry. It was a misunderstanding, I didn't want to…"

"Stop following me!" She repeated, blocking Kirito's attempts to explain the situation.

Fighting back the urge to face palm, Kirito kept following the enraged sniper while wondering why his life couldn't be normal for once. His embarrassment due to his new avatar appearance ended up transforming into a very unfortunate accident and now he was paying the price.

'_Did I do something unforgivable in a past life or something? There is no way all the weirdness that happens in my life can be only due to chance.'_ He thought while trying once again to apologize. _'Then again I guess turning into a Devil really didn't help my situation regarding possible higher powers.'_

"I'm really sorry Sinon, I didn't want to deceive you. And besides I have no idea what to do next and you are the only person I know here."

Suddenly stopping the aqua-haired sniper turned towards him, a stern expression on her face, her cat-like eyes glaring towards his form.

Her expression reminded Kirito of a cat just about to pounce upon a small rat, but after a minute of staring at his apologetic expression she only sighted before sitting down in one of the box-like chairs that filled the waiting area.

Timidly taking a seat next to her Kirito noticed that the screens were saying there was less than ten minutes before the tournament would start and he had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to be doing.

"…I will explain the basics at least. After that we are enemies." She said without looking at him.

"Th-thank you."

"Don't be mistaken, I haven't forgiven you. Once the countdown ends the screens will show the contestants names, enter the warp-pad in the end of one of the corridors and you shall be instantly transported towards the arena where you shall face your opponent." She said pointing towards the small corridors that where on the wall near the screens.

"The field is a 1 km wide square, with the landscape, climate and time being all randomly generate. At the beginning both players will appear at least 500 meters away from each other, the victor will be returned to the waiting area while the looser will be transferred to the hall in the first floor."

"Group F has 64 people in it, so if you win five matches you reach the final round and get the right to go to the next phase of the tournament. That's all for my explanation, I won't answer anymore questions." She said while rising from her seat.

"I think I understand, thanks."

"You better make it to the finals." She said with a quick glance towards him. "For there I shall teach you one last thing, I shall teach you defeat."

Despite her cold tone and harsh words Kirito couldn't help but smile, he couldn't help but admire her drive and personality.

"I will be looking forward to it. But are you sure you will reach the finals?"

"If I lose in the preliminaries I will quit for good." She answered with a snort of cold contempt. "This time I must definitely… kill off all the strong opponents."

The last part was said in a barely audible tone of voice as she stared at the armed opponents with a beast like smile. The smile of a wolf that was set loose amidst the sheep.

Kirito couldn't help a small shiver that was caused by her words and smile. He knew she was strong, far stronger than most of those that where in this tournament. But upon uttering those words Kirito felt that her petite body was letting out a will that far surpassed that of merely role playing gamer.

"Get to the finals, for your head is mine."

With one final nod towards his direction she started to walk away, stopping to briefly talk with a silver haired male that was wearing grey camouflage clothing that walked towards her.

'_To eliminate the strong...'_ Her words were echoing in his mind, while some would consider it a childish declaration, the will behind the words was anything but. _'Could it be?'_

He compared the lonely girl who had helped him get ready to the tournament with the inhuman voice that he had heard in the recording.

Death Gun only targeted strong players, in such a tournament that gathered only the strongest he was certain to be amidst their number.

'_The lonely girl or the ruthless warrior, which is the real Sinon I wonder?'_

Taking one last look at the snipers small but strong form Kirito turned towards one of the corridors and started to head towards the warp-pad.

He didn't want to consider the possibility, but her absolute confidence in reaching the finals, and killing intent released during that single moment persisted on his mind.

Standing atop the hexagonal device he tuned out the announcement saying the matches were about to start.

'_No, this type of thinking will lead me nowhere, when we clash in battle then we shall see our real selves.'_

He would find Death Gun and find the answers to the question that had led him here, no matter what.

* * *

Standing inside the hexagonal platform Kirito saw himself in the middle of a ruined courtyard. Large pillars stood around him, some completely destroyed and scattered around the area, others still standing proudly despite the damage they had sustained.

The sun was setting in the horizon giving the rock walls of the ruined temple that stood before him a crimson tint; a chilling wind was howling amidst the ruins blowing the wilted grass that grew between the fallen pillars.

Crimson letters appeared before him. 'Kirito VS Uemaru; Preparation time: 57 seconds left; Location: The Forgotten Monastery.'

Equipping both his Photon Sword and Five Seven Handgun Kirito waited for the timer to reach zero.

Taking a deep breath Kirito closed his eyes, reading himself for the battle to come.

'_It's time to see if a sword can triumph in a world of guns.'_ He thought while grabbing his chosen weapon and holding it at his side.

The moment the timer reached zero the hexagonal platform he was in disappeared and he darted forward towards the cover provided by one of the fallen pillars.

Deciding on how to proceed Kirito stood there, straining his senses in order to find his enemy.

A strong gust of wind blew through the area, swaying the wilted grasslands as it passed, the rustling sound of the grass stalks hitting each other drowning all other noise.

Feeling a shiver on the back of his neck Kirito jumped forward rolling on the ground to minimize the target area, and avoiding the shower of bullets that hit the area he had been standing a mere moment ago.

Silently standing up a figure appeared out of the grass. His clothes had a streamline pattern that mixed with the surrounding grasslands and on his head there was a helmet with fake grass that only increased the camouflage effect of his clothing.

'_So that's the reason for the 60 seconds preparation time.'_ Kirito thought while activating his sword, eyes locked on the opponent assault rifle.

Running forward Kirito dodged the red bullet prediction lines that where appearing before him avoiding the enemy's fire.

But when he tried to close the distance between them the number of red lines increased exponentially, forcing him to jump upwards towards the area with the fewest lines.

But even with his jump a bullet still hit him in his leg, reducing his health by ten percent.

Rushing forward close to the ground the same thing happened again, all paths towards his opponent where littered with red lines and the closer to him the more lines there were.

Doing a somersault towards a collapsed pillar Kirito internally cursed while remembering Sinon attempt to warn him about automatic fire. Even with all his agility and reflexes he had been hit three times already, reducing his health to a little over seventy percent.

Deciding to try to see if the handgun could even the odds a little Kirito took it out of the holster, but before he could aim Uemaru unleashed a barrage of shells towards the pillar, forcing him to roll out of the way and drop behind it in order to avoid the bullets.

The rain of bullets continued to fall at the pillar, trapping Kirito behind the stone as he desperately tried to find a way out of the situation he was in.

'_This is definitely different from that revolver!'_ He thought while cursing himself for not really listening to Sinon explanation about automatic weapons.

There was simply no way to dodge all the bullets, and while he could move fast enough to avoid their great majority, the few that would still hit him would still be more than enough to take him down.

'_There has got to be a way to defend against them! But I have no shield and my bullet proof jacket is nowhere near strong enough for this.'_ He thought, cursing under his breath when a bullet nicked him on the arm as rock fragments flew around him.

'_If this was SAO I would parry or use another weapon defense skill…' _He trailed off as he looked at the Photon Sword with a thoughtful look.

He could dodge most bullets, but not all of them, if he could just block the remaining bullets that would hit him and reach the target he would win… and this was a light saber…

He could predict where the bullets would hit; it would just be a matter of hitting them before they could hit him.

The gunfire had stopped, indicating that Uemaru was probably trying to flank him to hit around the cover of the fallen pillar.

With a deep breath, and knowing exactly what Asuna would say about his plan, Kirito activated his sword and closed his eyes.

Straining his senses he separated all the individual sounds around him, searching for abnormalities that would indicate his opponent's location. It was an Outside-System Skill he had learned in SAO and had served him well in countless battles.

Concentrating he heard the howling wind and the rustling grass. Delving in further he found it, small sounds that broke the pattern, cautious footsteps coming from his right.

"Let's do this!" He shouted, opening his eyes and rushing straight towards his opponent at top speed.

Caught off guard by the sudden action Uemaru took half a second to drop to one knee and assume a firing position, allowing Kirito to close half the distance before he started to open fire.

Once more the countless red lines appeared on Kirito's vision, there was nowhere to hide, all paths had a least a couple of bullets blocking them.

Twisting to the left Kirito dropped close to the ground into a path that had only five lines, three on his torso and two on his head.

Noticing that two of the lines on his torso were thicker than the others he realized that they would probably hit first. The thickness of the lines was a time difference that showed the order in which they would hit.

Kirito could feel the adrenaline on his system, the thrill of a PvP battle rushing his senses. Around him the world seamed to slow down as his consciousness speed up with an almost forgotten feeling.

Moving his Photon Sword Kirito positioned it to stand in the bullets path. The muzzle of the Assault Rifle flashed, the bullets flying towards him before being block by the Photon Sword.

With an electric sound the first two bullets were destroyed by the sword positioned in their path, before he moved it with blinding speed blocking the remaining three bullets with pin point accuracy.

Even at this distance Kirito could see Uemaru eyes widen in disbelief as he emptied the rifle entire magazine towards Kirito's speeding form.

Focusing Kirito ignored the bullets that wouldn't hit him, dodging and waving amidst the lines while cutting down those that he couldn't dodge, straining all his senses to the maximum and with one final leap he was past the wave of bullets an upon his opponents disbelieving form.

"N-no way!" Uemaru cried in shock even while he attempted to reload his weapon.

Grabbing the handgun with his left hand Kirito unleashed five bullets against his foe in order to gain the time he needed to approach.

Uemaru dodged three of the bullets while the other two hit him draining his health points, but the action caused him to hesitate for a split second in the action of reloading his gun and for Kirito, that was enough.

He twisted and launched himself off the ground, all the momentum gained during the mad dash between the bullets transferred to a forward lunge, sword poised to strike.

With a final thrust he pierced Uemaru's chest for a critical hit, in a perfect replication of the Sword Skill Vorpal Strike.

Complete shock was clear on Uemaru's face in the moment before his avatar shattered into countless polygons. Shocked eyes stared at the petite warrior that had defeated him with a sword in a world of guns.

* * *

Standing back at the waiting area after barely managing to snatch a victory from apparent defeat Kirito couldn't help but sight in exhaustion.

While his little gambit of blocking the bullets with his sword had paid out in the end, the act was far more draining then he had anticipated.

In order to both doge and block the storm of bullets sent his way while simultaneously charging his opponent all his senses had been working in overdrive. And while the result spoke for itself, it had taken a rather large chunk of his energy.

'_And I still have to go through four more of these rounds.' _He thought with a grimace, knowing he was going to literally crash on his bed once he returned home afterwards.

Looking around Kirito saw that the screens were now displaying all the battles that were happening across ruins and forest, cities and deserts. As the multitude of players battle one another with a vast assortment of weapons, from machineguns to pistols, rifles to grenades.

Noticing that Sinon was not in the waiting area Kirito started to scan the battles looking for her, concentrating in any scene that displayed blue hair.

"Are you, the real one?" A deep, hoarse and metallic voice asked from right behind him.

Startled by the closeness of the voice Kirito turned around while instinctively taking a step back. Shocked Kirito couldn't help but think that he was looking at a ghost.

Wearing a black hood, that wrought his features in darkness, with only two eerie reed orbs appearing from within its depths and a tattered dark grey mantle that covered his body, the figure greatly resembled one of the ghost mobs that were found in the 65th floor of Aincrad.

Remembering the fierce battles he had endured against the frightening high level monsters of that floor and the numerous players that perished there, Kirito had to fight back his instincts that were screaming at him to pick up his blade and attack.

"Real… what do you mean by that? Who are you?" He asked cautiously, noticing that the red glow was being reflected by the lens of a full head helmet that was shaped like a grinning skull.

Instead of answering the player silently stepped forward, stopping only mere twenty centimeters away from Kirito's face.

"I saw it, the match. A sword, you used it." He said with his deep, metallic voice in an oddly interrupted manner.

"Ah… ahhh. That's not against the rules is it?" He replied nervously feeling his heartbeat increase.

Leaning even closer towards his face, the player asked in and even deeper voice; in such a soft tone that Kirito had to strain to hear it despite the nearly nonexistent distance between them.

"Let me, ask you again? Are you, the real one?"

'_I know him.' _Kirito thought with wide eyes as he stood there rooted by the shock.

Desperately trying to remember where he had meet this player and why this recognition was mixed with dread, he watched as his mantle swayed to the side as he raised a tattered leather glove as he manipulated his menu.

A window with the matchups for group F appeared and his slender bone like finger pointed towards one name, Kirito.

"This, name. That, sword skill… Are you real?"

Recognition hit Kirito as a thunderbolt trough his heart. He had met this player before, he was a SAO survivor like himself and they had met and even talked inside the death game.

'_No it can't be. Calm down, it just can't be.'_ Kirito thought desperately, his face white as chalk.

But as the mantle parted to receive the thin long arm back into its folds Kirito saw a glimpse of his white skin, just above the glove.

On it there was a small tattoo, not exceeding five centimeters in length, a western style coffin with the lid slightly open, a mysterious face drawn upon its lid and a skeletal arm waving from within its depths.

Memories quickly flashed through his mind as he stood there unable to move, memories of death and slaughter, betrayal and despair.

For in that glimpse he had seen the mark of the only red guild on SAO, the mark of the murderous guild, Laughing Coffin.

"You, don't know, what I'm asking?"

Carefully shaking his head Kirito thanked the fact that in the low lighting of the room his white and shocked appearance was not immediately noticeable.

The players gaze seemed to intensify for a moment before he turned around, his mantle billowing around him.

"It doesn't, matter. Whether, your name, is a fake… or whether you're, real." He said as the inorganic feeling of his voice seemed to intensify. "One day, I'll kill you."

As the mantled player left silently as a ghost and then suddenly vanished, and he stood there, feeling as if everything had just changed due to that brief glimpse, Kirito knew the player wasn't talking about killing in the game.

His body swaying in place, Kirito collapsed on the nearest box-bench. Cuddling his thin legs against his torso and closing his eyes, he fought the memories that threatened to overwhelm him.

Of all the tragedies, of all the meaningless deaths and destruction that had plagued SAO one stood far above the rest. Laughing Coffin, the killing guild Laughing Coffin.

In that world, where one's life was tied to the ever constant presence of their health bar there had been one unspoken rule, a rule that had been respected even by the orange players who resorted to stealing from other players.

To never drop a players health bar below zero.

In a world in which violating that rule would result in another's death, no one even thought of breaking it.

That is, until he appeared, Poh, an exotic-looking, charismatic player, fluent speaker of English, Spanish and Japanese and a skillful dagger user.

A man that turned a group of completely ordinary players, into a cold, ruthless, organized guild of murderers.

And so in the New Years Eve of their first year trapped in SAO, Poh had led those who had fallen to his charisma and sick ideals and slaughtered a party that had been celebrating the New Year outside a safe zone.

That would mark the beginning of his reign of terror, a reign that lasted months before finally being put down by the swords of the clearers.

But even in defeat in a way he had achieve victory, for his purpose of 'unleashing the players inhibitions from their foolish morals' had been achieved.

For Laughing Coffin refused to surrender, even when clearly outmatched. And while the clearers were seeking to imprison them, they were not so limited.

And so as the battle dragged on and losses happened on the clearers side, friends that had been together after enduring the countless dangers of Aincrad mercilessly felled by the swords of the red guild, the clearers inhibition was lost to grief, rage and the pure desire for survival.

After the hellish battle, of the fifty clearers who had participated eleven had fallen, and amidst their opponents, of the more than thirty members of the red guild only twelve remained, trapped and later locked away in the Dark Iron Palace prison on the first floor, while Poh himself had vanished without a trace.

And Kirito remembered talking with one of the prisoners, a high ranking Laughing Coffin member who spoke in the same halting manner that the cloaked player.

'_So why can't I remember his name?'_ Kirito thought while fighting down the waves of nausea that threatened to engulf him. Knowing that with that knowledge Kikouka could find the player's real name and arrest him.

But even while asking himself that question he knew why he couldn't remember it, for it was the same reason he couldn't remember the faces of the two players that had fallen to his blade on that fateful day.

His mind refused to remember, refused to dwell in the actions of that day in order to stop his grief and guilt at ending their lives from overwhelming him.

For even if it had been to save his own life, the fact remained, he had killed them.

That player was Death Gun, he was certain of it, but now, being hunted by the ghosts of his past and the regret of his actions, that certainty seemed so meaningless.

Fighting down the chills that were coursing through his body Kirito couldn't help but wonder if beneath that cloak there wasn't the face of someone he had killed.

* * *

Walking back into the waiting area Sinon saw a familiar petite, black dressed figure curled into a corner.

'_So you do have some skill after all.'_ She thought, wondering how he had won using such an unusual weapon choice as she moved towards him.

Now that she had had time to cool off, a situation that was greatly helped by the act of blowing her opponent into oblivion, she could admit to herself that she had overreacted.

The situation had been only a massive misunderstanding, caused by very unfortunate circumstances. In no moment had he tried to mislead or deceive her and for that she was willing to let the incident slid by.

'_Of course that doesn't mean I won't be blowing your head off in the finals.'_ She thought with a fierce smile while taping Kirito in the shoulder to gain his attention.

The sudden movement and look of shock the simple action had caused gave her pause, allowing her to really see Kirito.

His face was ghost white, his hands were trembling slightly and his eyes were dilated. He looked as if he had just seen death itself.

"Are you alright?" She said taking a closer look at the strange player she had sort of befriended before the tournament. "Was your match a close call? But you came back even earlier than me."

But even as she spoke those words she knew that was not the case, something more was afoot.

"Ah… no, it's nothing." He said with such a fake smile that Sinon wondered if anyone would believe it.

"Come-on show some of that confidence from earlier! If you are already this awkward after just one fight you won't make it to the finals!" She said trying to provoke a reaction out of him, to bring out the fire she had seen as he dodged bullets earlier. "I will not forgive you if you let anyone else defeat you!"

With that she raised her fist, playfully hitting him on the shoulder. But to her surprise his small hands darted forward, grabbing her hand and holding it tight close to his body.

"W-what are you doing?!" She asked in alarm, trying to draw her hand back against Kirito iron grip.

But looking again she saw he was shaking, holding on to her hand as if it was a lifeline.

"…what are you doing?" She whispered trying to understand what was happening.

His hands were cold as ice, but even so she stood there unmoving as she was overcome by a strong sense of déjà-vu. His frightened expression and haunted eyes, she had seen them before.

She had seen them in the image of a young girl that stared back from the mirror, wondering one single question.

'_Why?'_

And even thought he hadn't said a single word Sinon knew. He was trapped, just like she herself was, in an all encompassing darkness.

'_What happened?'_ She wanted to ask, but the signal for the next matches had been made.

And without a word Kirito had let go, walking forward towards his match, feelings hidden behind a mask of ice.

Letting her hand fall by her side Sino watched his departing form before heading towards her own match, a strange feeling of warmth in her hand despite the coldness.

* * *

Waiting next to the corridor that led to the warp-pads, Sinon prepared herself for her final match.

She had reached the finals, blasting her way through her opponents and now stood there waiting for her last opponent.

She had been surprised when despite the state he had been Kirito had won match after match.

Using nothing but speed and reflexes he had carved his way through his matches. Fighting in a way no one had ever seen he used his sword to deflect bullets as he charged his enemies at impossible high speeds.

His charges were fierce, resolute and even slightly suicidal. But even in the face of fully automatic fire he had soldiered on, blocking lethal hits while ignoring all else until he could reach his opponent and cut him down.

Wondering how to counter such a fighting style Sinon's mind wandered to how Kirito had been acting.

The curious smile and serene expression he had shown when they had been shopping. The wounded look and hunted eyes that had appeared after his first match. And the resolute eyes and expressionless mask that had accompanied him through the remaining matches.

'_In the end, which is the real Kirito?' _

Sinon herself wasn't sure why it mattered, but the brief glimpse she had seen in that single moment, when all his defenses seemed to be absent had resonated with her.

A feeling she had never expected to feel had appeared, sympathy. He was like her, and she had never thought that was possible.

She hadn't seen him ever since after the first match, and that was the reason why she was standing there waiting for him instead of already entering the warp-pad. She wanted to talk with the mystery that was Kirito before they faced each other in battle.

Looking to the entrance of the corridor she saw him and immediately frowned at the sight.

Shoulders fallen and head bowed low as he slowly approached. His face locked into a pained expression that Sinon could summarize with one word, defeat.

"Let's get this over with." He said with an absent tone of voice, gaze distant as he failed to even look her way.

"W-what?!" Sinon cried in disbelief.

"…My goal was to enter tomorrow's tournament. There is no longer a reason to fight."

This casual dismissal of their battle, of her goal, angered her beyond belief.

"No reason to fight!" She screamed, grabbing his shirt and shoving him against the wall. "Don't force your values on me! This may be just a VR match to you, but to me… to me it has meaning…" She said as her voice broke down, her last words being little more than a whisper.

A strange look appeared on Kirito's eyes as he gazed at his captor. A small fragile smile emerged as he raised one hand against his face.

"…meaning…yes, how could I… such a simple thing…" His words barely audible as he spoke to himself, eyes closed in remembrance.

"I'm sorry Sinon, even though it's just a game, to not give my all, to simply give up, to live in this world that's not an option." He said, his voice firm, eyes resolute.

"To think I would forget such a thing…" Shaking his head he looked her in the eyes. "Sinon will you have a match with me?" He asked with a smile, head held high.

Smiling in kind Sinon simply turned around and entered the warp-pad.

* * *

Looking around Sinon saw herself on a great destroyed highway that extended in a single line into the distance. Broken cars littered the landscape amidst the uneven ground.

A cold wind howled through the abandoned vehicles as the sun slowly set in the horizon, basking the highway with a crimson glow before darkness came to rule once more.

The Intercontinental Highway, the field would give her a distinct advantage, avoiding any possibility of flanking her position. Even with all the cover provided by the ruined cars and trucks, there would be no way to approach her without being seen in this straight line.

'_Show me your power Kirito, show me who you really am.' _She thought as she waited for the timer to reach zero.

Never before had she meet someone who could understand her darkness, but with him she knew. Not only did he understand, he could sympathize with it for he himself had darkness within him.

She knew this could be it, the battle she had been searching all along, a battle to prove her strength and eradicate her weakness.

The moment the timer reached zero she rushed forward towards a large tour bus that was situated in the middle of the highway.

Quickly climbing to its second level she positioned herself stomach down in the center of the floor, Hecate pointed through the panoramic window giving her a perfect view of the highway.

The window would hide the reelection the sun would cause on her scope, and from that position there would be no way to approach her undetected.

Looking through her scope she steeled herself for the battle to come.

'_I'm ice. I'm a machine made of cold ice.'_ She thought as she drew Hecate's coldness down to her very core.

When she saw him she frowned in confusion. Calmly walking towards her, he approached without even trying to take cover.

A spike of anger crossed her features, thinking he had abandoned his earlier words.

The anger lasted until she saw his eyes. There was resolve there, fierce and unrelenting; there was strength on his gaze.

Sinon smiled, she didn't know what he was planning, but there was no longer defeat on his gaze.

Calming her breath she watched as the bullet prediction circle started to shrink and grow on her vision. Once, twice, when the circle shrunk for the third time and aligned itself with his left leg she pulled the trigger.

She knew he would be expecting a hit to the torso and would likewise protect it, but a gun of Hecate's caliber would had more than enough power to kill him even in a non fatal area like the leg due to the impact damage.

A thunderous roar filled the highway as Hecate released all her power in a storm of fire, Death in a crystallized form flew forward as the bullet easily broke through the sound barrier in its path towards the Kirito's petite body.

As if guided by something only he could see Kirito locked his gaze into her hiding place, sword coming to life at his side.

With unnatural speed the blade flashed forward, hitting the 12.7mm bullet that was speeding towards him as he took a step back to compensate for the strength behind the blast.

Sinon's gaze widened at the impossible feat, before understanding filled her features.

Kirito slow approach from the middle of the highway allowed him to determine her most likely hiding locations and the distance allowed him to use his speed and reflexes to predict the bullet's path in the split moment after the flash of the bullet being fired and the bullet reaching him.

'_What kind of reflexes do you have?'_ She thought in wonder as she reloaded Hecate for the next assault.

Regaining his footing Kirito dashed forward into a frenzied charge at her position, eyes never wavering from the target.

Firing once again Sinon saw how Kirito jumped to the side, avoiding the bullet before kicking a car and propelling himself back into the path without losing any of his momentum.

Even as she reloaded Sinon knew she had to change strategies, with the bullet prediction line aiding him she would have to wait until he was right next to her in order that Hecate's bullet speed and lack of time lapse between the line and the bullet at close quarters could compensate for his reaction time.

Steeling herself Sinon raised into a crouching position, one knee on the ground and the other acting as support for her arms.

As she watched Kirito fast approaching form she knew she would have only one chance. If she fired too soon he would evade, if she fired too late he would reach her. In order to win she would have to fire at the exact moment before he could strike her down.

Drawing his pistol Kirito fired five shots against her awaiting form before jumping towards the bus, closing the distance between them.

Steeling herself Sinon ignored the bullets she knew to be a distraction, even as they pierced her flesh and reduced her health by more than half, her aim remaining true and unfaltering.

The moment Kirito's jumping form filled her scope's sight she fired, unleashing Hecate's power as the bullet easily broke the sound barrier.

Twisting in the air Kirito turned around his own gravity center, avoiding the bullet by less than an inch.

Reaching the second level of the bus he darted forward, pressing his blade against Sinon's throat before she could react and grab her MP7.

The world stopped; the howling of the wind and the sword faint vibration being the only noises as they stood there watching each other.

"How did you predict the aim of my last bullet?" Sinon asked as she raised to her feet, ignoring the blade pressed against her neck.

"Even through the scope, I could see your eye." He explained to his surprised opponent.

'_Line of sight, he predicted the bullet trajectory from my line of sight. To think you have such strength.' _But at the same time she had the thought the memory of his cold hands came to her mind.

"You are so strong. What are you afraid of?"

She saw the flicker of pain her words had caused, his reply sounding as if he was enduring a distant memory.

"This is not strength, just skill."

Shaking her head in denial at his words Sinon stepped forward ignoring the blade pressing against her flesh.

"Lies! If it was just technique it would not be possible to cut Hecate's bullet! How did you become so strong! …how can I be…"

"Then let me ask you!" Kirito interjected, interrupting with a low but strong voice.

"If that gun's bullet would really kill your opponent, and if you did not shoot, yourself or someone precious to you would die. Would you pull the trigger!?"

The strength of the question made Sinon take a step back as she wondered if he too knew her secret.

But upon looking at his haunted eyes that were lost in remembrance she knew that was not the case. His question was based on his own past, not hers.

"… I can no longer do that. I… cut two… no, three people at that time, and I don't even know their names… I just closed my eyes and forgot it, pretending nothing ever happened."

His pained tone told Sinon he was speaking the truth, proving to her that her guesses had been correct. Just like her, his past was lost in darkness and blood.

And she remembered his scared form in the waiting room. Something happened, something that made the buried darkness to overflow to the surface.

And them the moment was broken as his usual carefree smile returned to his face.

"Will you surrender? I don't want to cut such a cute girl." He said in a teasing tone.

Holding back her anger at his cheeky tone Sinon gazed defiantly at his eyes.

"You better not die tomorrow until I find you, for I'm putting a bullet in your head." Taking a deep breath she allowed the tension that had been building inside her to disperse. "I resign."

The F group third Bullet of Bullets qualifying final was over.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

While I truly enjoyed the Phantom Bullet arc in the light novels, I always thought that the duel between Sinon and Kirito in the final could be better. The fact they stopped to talk in the middle of the battle before finally fighting cut down a lot of the tension in my opinion.

So that is why I created the warp-pads instead of simply automatically transporting them like it happen in the original. This way Sinon could beat some sense into Kirito before the battle.

Next chapter will finally have some of the more major changes I have planned for the arc, look forward to it!

Thanks for reading and please review.


	12. Chapter 12 - Chasing Shadows

**Author's Notes:**

First and foremost I would like to apologize for the delayed update.

As some of you may have noticed I have been trying to update this story at least once every two weeks and am proud to have achieved that for eleven consecutive chapters.

But unfortunately real life decided it didn't like my dedication to this story, I have started my internship and alongside my University studies that cut off practically all of my free time, greatly limiting the time in which I can write.

I'm finally getting the hang on of my new schedule so now I'm back, but unfortunately I won't keep updating at the same speed as before. From here on I will try to update at least once a month, instead of the once every two weeks that I had been doing before, perhaps latter on I may be able to pick up speed again but for now this story will be updated monthly, thanks for the understanding.

Secondly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Chasing Shadows**

It was a bright and clear Sunday, but despite that as she stood there watching her adoptive brother silently eating his breakfast, his face solemn and eyes lost in remembrance, Kirigaya Suguha couldn't help but feel an ominous feeling welling up on her heart.

When he had returned home the last day Suguha could immediately tell that Kazuto had a lot on his mind. Even when he smiled and pretended nothing was wrong she could see how tense his shoulders were, as if bearing a great burden.

She had been static after learning Kazuto would be spending the weekend home, but now seeing the forlorn look in his eyes she knew that something had happened.

'_This simply won't do.'_ She decided resolutely walking towards him, the information she had found earlier on her hand.

"Onii-chan!"

Her stern tone of voice startled him back into the present, immediately hiding his worries behind a sheepish expression.

"Have you seen the news on the net this morning?" She asked in an innocent tone of voice, handing him the sheet of paper.

On it was a news bulletin from the largest VRMMO info site MMO Today, showing the latest news about GGO Bullet of Bullets tournament, and more specifically a very unique name amidst the ones who qualified to the second part of the tournament.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping Kikuoka-san or something? Why did you transfer your avatar from ALO?"

Her tone of voice was perfectly placid and reasonable, but her eyes were locked on his demanding answers.

Ever since he had left to attend his new school, an action that still seemed odd and raised an uneasy feeling on her chest even if she remembered agreeing to it when it happened, she had practically only seen him in ALO, so the thought he had left without telling her wasn't a pleasant one.

"Ah… Yes, you see he needed my help inside GGO so I temporarily transferred in order to investigate the game at his request." He replied with a small smile, rubbing the back of his head with one hand.

"Investigate inside the tournament?" Suguha replied with narrowed eyes, since thought that explained why he had transferred it still seemed odd to investigate an event instead of the game itself, not to mention it didn't explain his distress the previous day.

"I felt it would be best, and besides it sounded interesting." He replied deflecting the question.

"Onii-chan…" Suguha sighed, bowing her head and covering her eyes with her dark hair. "I'm worried about you, yesterday you came back with a really scary face and today you seen to be very troubled."

"Is… Is that so?" Kazuto replied with a strained smile.

"Ever since you went to that new school you have been distant, and now that you are back for the weekend due to this job you are acting like this. Just promise me you will not get yourself in any trouble, will you?"

The moment her words left her mouth Suguha saw Kazuto briefly stiffening into place before slowly relaxing and smiling reassuringly at her.

"Don't worry Suguha, it's just a simple job. There is no danger about it, so don't worry. After I'm done with it why don't we spend the rest of the Sunday together?"

"I would like that." She replied with a smile, but even as she said that she knew Kazuto was not telling the truth.

She had known him all her life and knew that the smile and reassurance he had given her were both fake.

Not only that but she hadn't talked about any danger, only about trouble, and that little slip of tongue he had made raised several alarm bells in her mind.

She knew that something was happening; in fact something may have been happening ever since he mysteriously transferred to Kuoh Academy, and he was trying to keep her out of it.

'_What did you get yourself into now, Onii-chan?' _She thought with worry as she took a seat next to him and started to eat her breakfast, pretending nothing was wrong.

Something was happening, that was for certain, and she was going to find out what.

* * *

Absently strolling through the maze like streets that formed GGO central city, SBC Gurokken Kirito couldn't help but feel he was fleeing.

Suguha's questions and pointed looks had ended up making him leave to the hospital far earlier than he had originally planned, but in the end he decided it was better to aimlessly stroll in game for a bit as he waited for the tournament to start than to risk her finding out the truth.

He didn't like the feeling of lying to her, but he couldn't allow her to put herself in danger by finding out the truth, especially now that the strange deaths were shaping up to be more than mere coincidence.

He still didn't know how it was possible, but the fact that a former member of Laughing Coffin was involved in the tournament was far too suspicious to pass as mere chance.

Death Gun was more than capable of killing, but even then the how remained a mystery, no matter how he looked at it an AmuSphere simply couldn't even cause injury to the player, much less death.

'_Is it really due to the SEED? Or am I missing something.'_ Kirito thought with a frown, contemplating what could be the truth.

"Oh my, what a scary face you have there Kii-bou." A cheerful voice sounded right next to his ear startling him out of his musings.

Spinning around Kirito saw himself looking at a hooded female player, garbed in black special ops clothing and towering nearly a head higher than him, her fit and lean body a fairly likeness of an amazon warrior.

But what really jumped at his eyes was the war paint displayed on her cheeks, war paint applied to look like whisker marks appearing from beneath her hood.

"Argo, what are you doing here?!" He asked in shock, caught completely off guard by her presence.

"Oh you know looking into this or that, searching for some information, you know the drill. And after seeing you in the preliminaries I decided we could make a mutually beneficial arrangement." Argo said with a knowing smile.

"An arrangement?" Kirito asked with a small amount of trepidation, especially seeing the predatory look in Argo's eyes.

"Precisely! You are in a uniquely suited position to help me out, so I say we make a transaction and trade info." She replied chirpily, smile still firmly into place.

'_I'm not sure I like the sound of that, and how did she find me here in the first place?' _

But before he could voice his doubts Kirito was brought short by the very appreciative look Argo was giving him.

"You know Kii-bou, I never really thought you bent this way, but it totally suits you!" She proudly declared, her predatory smile growing even larger on her face.

Upon hearing those words Kirito quickly remembered exactly how his avatar looked at the moment, and immediately turned crimson at the insinuation.

"No! This is… no way… it's…" But his feeble attempts at defending his sexuality were brought short by the gales of laughter coming off from Argo's imposing avatar.

Hiding his head with one of his hands, Kirito tried to control his heartbeat, knowing that Argo would never let him forget this as long as he lived.

"Alright, jokes aside." Argo said in a serious tone of voice, all traces of mirth gone from her face. "Let's cut to the chase, Death Gun."

Those two words immediately made Kirito raise his head, a serious look on his face.

"I know you are looking into it, and before you ask, your employer really should invest some money in proper internet security, you would think a division geared towards digital investigations would have better defenses." She said nonchalantly, as if hacking into a government official computer was not a big deal.

"Argo what are you up too?" Kirito asked doubtfully, since her actions seemed slightly out of character from what he knew of the information broker personality.

"I have received a request to clarify something, and if necessary fix it before it could get out of control. That request has lead me to a trio of mysterious deaths and from there it lead me here and to Death Gun."

Understanding filling his features Kirito gaped at the implication. Argo 'The Rat' wouldn't do something like this, but Tsukino Dantalion might.

He had ruled out all possible ways Death Gun could be killing his victims, so that left only the impossible available as an answer.

"Death Gun is not a human is he?"

"Either that or he is in collaboration with someone who isn't." She replied easily. "I'm searching for a Stray Devil called Hiraku Kiyoshi, wielder of a very dangerous Sacred Gear, who fled to the human world after killing his [King] about six weeks ago, and I believe he may be responsible for these deaths."

"You think he is using his Sacred Gear to kill people inside the game?" Kirito asked feeling a hint of dread on his heart.

"Unlikely, technology doesn't really mix well with the supernatural. Any spell or supernatural phenomenon strong enough to do so would fry the servers before reaching the target, not to mention his Sacred Gear needs physical contact to work." Argo replied nonchalantly. "I believe that he might be doing so from outside the game while coordinating his actions with Death Gun in order to make it look like it happened in the game, although his motives for doing so are a mystery."

Suddenly Kirito remembered what he had found out yesterday, something Argo couldn't have found out yet.

"Argo I believe Death Gun is a former member of Laughing Coffin. I meet a hooded player yesterday wearing a skull mask who had their mark on his arm and I'm certain he is Death Gun."

Argo nodded as if he had just confirmed something for her, a thoughtful look filling her features.

"I see, that makes sense." She said with a tired look on her eyes. "This matches my information, for Kiyoshi is also a SAO survivor, which would explain their connection."

"There were more Devils trapped in SAO?" Kirito asked, surprised by the information.

"Not really." She replied with a humorless laugh. "From what I found out after we got out only Kiyoshi and myself where representatives of our kind in the game. Devils as a rule aren't really up to date with those kinds of technological breakthroughs, or even with the human world in general for that matter."

"So Kirito, anything else you have found out?" She asked curiously.

"No, I was thinking of meeting him during the tournament and trying to find out his real name and inform it to Kikuoka so that he could arrest him, but now…" He trailed of meaningfully.

"No that's a good idea, if we find Death Gun we find Kiyoshi since they are clearly connected. Afterwards dealing with Kikuoka would be simple enough." Argo replied, her predatory smile back in place. "You keep this line of investigation, while I'll see if I can find anything else IRL. Afterwards we can trade our discoveries and get him."

Kirito couldn't help but feel Argo was being far too optimistic, but had to agree that it was better than the alternative of leading the police straight into a Stray Devil.

"Alright I'll try to find out his identity during the tournament, contact me if you find out anything else." Kirito said, nodding his agreement to the plan.

"Will do, and take care of yourself you hear." Argo replied flippantly, all the previous seriousness completely lost as she started to walk away.

Letting out a sigh Kirito wondered why his life could never be simple, but at the very least now he had an idea of what was responsible for the deaths.

"Oh, I nearly forgot! Kii-bou a moment please!" Argo cheerfully called him back, making him turn around, being promptly blinded by a bright flash as he did so.

The moment the spots disappeared from his field of vision, Kirito saw Argo darting down the street, cheerfully waving a hand holding a camera in the air as she disappeared from view.

'_I'm dead.'_ Kirito thought upon realizing Argo had just acquired photographic evidence of his new avatar.

* * *

"That guy really infuriates me!" Asada Shino exclaimed as she kept kicking rocks around the park near her apartment.

"That's rare of you Asada-san, for you to criticize someone in such a straightforward manner." Shinkawa Kyouji said with widened eyes from his seat on one of the parks swings.

"That's because he's an infuriating, thick-skinned fool, who likes to act cool and who the hell uses swords in GGO anyway!" She said punctuating every word with a kicked rock.

Upon noticing the lack of suitable rocks around her to keep venting her anger, Shino turned around only to stop upon realizing that Kyouji was looking at her with an strange expression on his face.

"What's the matter Shinkawa-san?"

"N-no, it's nothing, it's just that normally you aren't very interest in others no matter what they say or do." He replied with a reassuring smile.

Shino had to agree with his assessment; normally she wouldn't care what others did or didn't do, considering it to be a waste of effort to react to their silliness.

But that guy, Kirito, he infuriated her for some inexplicable reason. She knew him for less than twenty four hours, but he had already entrenched himself in her memories and she couldn't get rid of it.

"It's just the fact that he defeated me yesterday, today I will beat him." She replied, trying to appear nonchalant about the whole deal as Shinkawa kept staring at her intently.

Looking at the setting sun Shino mind drifted once again to that infuriating player and his absurd avatar that was more feminine than any of the female players she had ever meet in GGO.

That strange, infuriating player that was the first person she could relate to since she had been but a child.

Her musings were cut short when she felt Shinkawa grabbing her hand firmly, his eyes staring intently at her.

"I feel extremely worried…Asada-san is different from usual…Yes, if there is anything I can help with…" The grip he had on her hand started to strength as he kept speaking. "Asada-san is normally so cool… always looking like nothing could faze you… you are so strong, so amazing." He said in awe, his eyes fixed on her face.

"Asada-san is one of the strongest players in GGO. I know that's the real Asada-san and that one day the real world Asada-san will become like that. So seeing Asada-san angry and waving because of that guy…"

Trailing off Shinkawa released her hand as he stared at her with an almost feverishly intensity, forcing Shino to avert her gaze.

'_However, Shinkawa-san, a long time ago I would cry and laugh like an ordinary person. I didn't become the current me on my own free will.' _She thought with regret.

It was definitely her dream to achieve the strength that Sinon possessed, but even so she couldn't help but feel that she was slowly loosing something by doing so. She desired to overcome her fears, not to abandon her feelings.

She was grateful Shinkawa was so concerned about her, but she felt that his feelings where somewhat misplaced.

"Asada-san…" He said in a soft voice while simultaneously encircling her with his arms.

Startled by the sudden action, Shino instinctively shoved him away before even fully registering the action.

"I'm sorry. I'm happy you said that, you're my only friend here, but … I don't have that kind of feelings yet. I can't have them, not until I can win… I can only solve my problems by fighting… I have to concentrate in that…" Shino hurriedly tried to placate him, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

She didn't see him in such a light; point in fact she had never seen anyone in such a light. All her being was devoted to overcoming her weakness and shattering the darkness that was enveloping her heart, leaving nothing left for such thoughts.

She could only fight, that was all that she could do, and hope that would be enough to one day achieve her goal.

"Don't worry Asada-san." Shinkawa replied with a smile, the crimson sun reflecting on his eyes. "I understand, I can wait until then."

* * *

Walking towards the presidential villa in order to enter the tournament Kirito kept thinking about what he had discovered with Argo. Now that he knew that Death Gun was real, discovering his name was even more important in order to stop him.

Seeing a small blue haired sniper entering the building Kirito hurried after her, hand raised in greeting.

Despite their arguments he admired the small Sniper, she had an inner strength that he could respect and had helped him remember something he had nearly forgotten.

He had acted to save others, and even if that wasn't really enough to justify his actions it at least lent them a meaning. He could still feel the weight of the lives he had taken, but now he knew that pretending it never happened was just another way of running away.

He could still feel the guilt of his actions, his crimes lingering on his mind. But the realization he had achieve thanks to her words was enough to keep it at bay and stop it from overwhelming him, he couldn't run away, he had to accept the meaning of his actions.

"Yo, Sinon, please guide me trough today too."Kirito said with a small smile.

"Oh, it's you." Sinon replied emotionlessly after seeing him approaching without breaking her stride. "Glad to see you didn't run away, ready for me to put a bullet through your head?"

Rubbing the back of his head, Kirito decided this was a chance he couldn't let slip by.

"Er, Sinon, can I ask you a strange question?" Seeing the suspicious look she was giving him, Kirito decided to speak before she got the wrong idea. "Amidst the thirty players that are participating in the tournament are there any you don't know about?"

Her suspicious look was replaced by a confused one, clearly not expecting that question.

"Why would you want to know that?"

"Please tell me, this is very important." Kirito pleaded earnestly.

Giving him one last look she opened her menu and searched for the names of the participants.

"It's already the third BoB tournament so I know practically everyone here. Excluding a certain infuriating light saber user the only other newcomers are Jyuushi X, Pale Rider and Sterben."

Nodding in thanks he closed his eyes, focusing on the three names.

He knew that Death Gun wasn't the player actual avatar name since that would be just asking for trouble with the game managers in the long run, so it was very likely that he had created a new avatar for the tournament that would later be discarded.

Jyuushi X, Pale Rider and Sterben, one of those three newcomers was the hooded player, Death Gun. The only question being which one.

"Oi, what's going on?" Sinon asked been slightly annoyed be his strange actions. "What the heck do you need their names for?"

Looking at her narrowed eyes Kirito started to inwardly debate if he should tell her the truth or not since Sinon could be a possible target. But at the same time Kirito wondered if it was even possible to word it in a way that she would take him seriously.

'_Yeah, saying there is someone associated with a Stray Devil, killing people through a game will hardly convince her. She will probably just think I'm trying to make her quit the tournament.'_

"Does this have something to do with how you were acting yesterday?" She asked as her eyes suddenly softened.

The look they exchanged conveyed everything they weren't saying, and before he could control the impulse Kirito was nodding in answer.

"Yes we have met before in another game, where we seriously tried to kill each other. But I can't recall his name…I have to meet him… find out why he is here, and what he is doing…"

He could see Sinon reacting to his words, instead of dismissing them as if they were meaningless she was apparently taking them very seriously, as if she could sense the real weight behind them.

"We once clashed swords, betting or very lives in the process. But in the end I just kept running away, escaping from the responsibility of my actions. Until today I was forcing myself to forget…but now, I know I can't keep that up, I have to solve this problem head on."

Realizing he had said too much, Kirito started to walk away deliberately forcing a smile on his face.

"Sorry for such ridiculous words. Just pretend you never heard them. It's just a past grudge…"

"If your bullet could really kill someone, would you still pull the trigger…" Sinon said, quietly repeating his words from their duel, interrupting him before he could walk away, her voice full of meaning.

Kirito gasped as Sinon sharp eyes looked at him in sudden understanding.

"Kirito, are you from that…" But her voiced silenced, the question left unasked. "Sorry, I shouldn't be asking this."

"No it's alright." Kirito said, knowing she suspected the truth, that he was a SAO survivor, but unlike most, there was neither judgment nor disgust in her features.

"…Well the tournament is about to start, we better get going." She said giving him a small smile. "I know you have your own difficulties; however your promise to me is another matter, so you better not let anyone else finish you off."

"…I understand, I'll survive until I face you." He replied with a small smile.

"Thanks."

Upon saying that she quietly proceeded onwards, no dramatics, no judgment, only simple understanding in her eyes, and Kirito couldn't help but feel slightly lighter as he followed her.

* * *

Positioning herself atop a hill near the bridge that crossed one of the large rivers that divided the great island where the tournament was happening, Sinon waited for her targets to enter Hecate's range.

The tournament had started a little over thirty minutes ago, and the satellite scan that provided players with information about the battlefield had indicated that two players, Dyne being pursued by Pale Rider, where headed towards the bridge, and so she positioned herself to hunt.

Dyne suddenly appeared on her view, bursting out of the trees and running to the middle of the bridge before turning around and dropping to the floor, pointing his SIG assault rifle towards the tree line awaiting his pursuer to appear, and unintentionally presenting his back to Sinon's sniper rifle.

'_You got to always watch your back Dyne.'_ She thought with a hint of amusement, aiming at his back for a kill shot.

Even after the shot, the pursuing Pale Rider would have to cross the bridge in order to reach her, allowing her to easily pick him down if he attempted to engage.

But as she was about to pull the trigger she suddenly felt an icy chill in the back of her neck, alerting her there was someone behind her.

'_Stupid, stupid, stupid!' _She shouted in her mind as she quickly turned around, grabbing the MP7 Sub-machine gun at her hip to face of whoever had managed to sneak up on her.

But even as she did that, waiting for the bullets to start to hit her body, she wondered how this could be happening; there were no other players near her vicinity according to the satellite scan and no buildings or caves where the player behind her could have been hiding during it.

The moment she turned around about to pull the trigger she was greeted by a sight that made her hesitate due to the sheer unlikeness of it.

A player with long beautiful black hair, porcelain white skin and narrow eyes that sparkled at the setting sun was all but sprawled behind her, one hand raised in the universal sign to calm down and the other holding a pistol pointing towards her.

Standing before her was Kirito, a serious look on his face as he kept her at gun point as he approached.

"Hold on, I have a proposal." He said in a cool voice that was unlike any he had used before, conveying the graveness of the situation.

"What is there to propose in this kind of situation?!" Disbelief and anger equally mixed into her voice.

"I don't want them to hear us shooting at each other." Kirito explained calmly. "I want to watch the battle that is about to unfold in the bridge. Please don't take any action until then."

"Watch the battle?!" Sinon repeat in disbelief.

"Yes, please understand. Afterwards I will simply leave." Kirito replied seriously, his body tense.

"I could simply snipe you from behind as you leave, you know?"

"That can't be helped, it's starting."

And with those words right in front of her disbelieving eyes, Kirito quietly holstered his handgun and turned his back to Sinon despite the fact she still had him on gun point, his entire attention focused on the bridge.

'_What the hell is happening?'_ Sinon though, shaking her head to clear her mind of the unbelievable circumstances that seemed to happen nearly every time she meet the petite swordsman.

Lowering her weapon she turned towards the bridge, remembering that one of the players about to fight was one of the newcomers that Kirito had been so interested before.

'_There is more to this than he is telling me.'_ Sinon decided, her eyes darting back and forth between the bridge and the swordsman at her side.

Seeing movement at the edge of the forest, Sinon saw a player wearing blue and white camouflage clothing, his face hidden by a black helmet, holding only a light ArmaLite AR 17 shotgun emerging from the woods.

Dyne immediately tensed from his position on the bridge, the SIG on his hands apparently doing nothing to intimidate the player she assumed was Pale rider as he confidently went towards the bridge.

"That guy's strong…" She quietly muttered to herself.

At the same time she noticed Kirito tensing at her side, his entire focus at the player advancing towards the bridge, confirming her suspicion that the new players she had mentioned were the source of his unease and worry.

After a moment of hesitation Dyne started firing. His SIG 550 thundering a steady sound as it unleashed its barrage against Pale Rider.

However Pale Rider immediately ran towards one of the cables that supported the bridge, quickly climbing above his enemy's onslaught.

Silently approving the move Sinon kept watching the battle. From the prone position he was in Dyne would have a lot of difficulty raising his aim to hit Pale Rider giving him the advantage.

Using the recoil from the cable Pale Rider launched himself towards Dyne, avoiding the line of fire and landing on a roll very near his form, firing his ArmaLite at nearly point blank range.

"That blue guy is really amazing…" Kirito muttered softly as they watched Pale Rider empty his shotgun at his enemy until Dyne's health reached zero, eliminating him from the tournament.

Feeling her suspicion rise Sinon was about to speak but in the end decided against it. She knew there was something happening involving Kirito, but those were his problems, not hers.

She firmly believed that the only one that could solve a person's problems was the person herself; it was not her responsibility, she had no right to interfere in this.

Looking once more trough Hecate's scope, Sinon considered how easy it would be to take Pale Rider down as the player calmly exited the bridge, completely unaware of their presence.

Her finger wavered around the trigger as she wondered if she should shoot, but before she could pull it Pale Rider tumbled forward, a bullet piercing his left shoulder.

Despite her surprise Sinon immediately focused her hearing, searching for the sound of the gunshot in order to determine the other sniper's location.

"A suppressor…?" She muttered in surprise when nothing but the sound of the river and the blowing wind reached her ears.

"A what?" Kirito asked in confusion, searching the area for the other player.

Looking at his puzzled face, Sinon sighted, wondering how many things she had ended up explaining to him since they had meet.

"It's a muffler. It's an equipment that's place on the guns barrel in order to minimize the sound of the gunshot. A silencer. But it affects both the accuracy and shooting range of the weapon not to mention it's extremely expensive."

"I see…"

Looking at Pale Rider's form laying on the ground Sinon wondered why he wasn't running or fighting back. The lack of a red tag indentifying his death made it clear it hadn't been a fatal shoot.

Not to mention other inconsistencies like the presence of Kirito and this new hidden assailant when the satellite scan had showed no one else in the area.

"Kirito where did you appear from? Ten minutes ago the satellite scan didn't show you anywhere near here."

"Eh…? I was tailing Pale Rider from about 500 meters away, so it should have shown up on the scan…ah, I got it." He replied in realization. "Ten minutes ago I should have been in the river, so maybe that's why the satellite didn't pick me up!"

"You swan trough the river?!" Sonon exclaimed in disbelief. "How did you do that?"

While rivers and lakes where not forbidden zones or anything like it, while underwater a players health would steadily lower due to the lack of oxygen, adding the weight of their weapons and equipment swimming was nearly impossible. Even the light weight equipment and weapons Kirito wielded should have made such an endeavor suicide.

"I removed all my equipment before entering the water." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "There was no need to carry it all."

After taking her eyes from the scope to look at his face, confirming he was serious, Sinon couldn't help but snort in amusement.

'_Who takes off their equipment in the middle of a battlefield?'_ She thought in face of this newest evidence of Kirito's unique way of thinking.

"People would definitely be happy to see your character in your underwear like that." She deadpanned.

"Isn't the live telecast only showing the battle scenes?" He asked with a hint of worry.

Ignoring the question, Sinon focused once again at Pale Rider. Increasing the range of the scope she noticed blue sparks coursing through his body, originating from the bullet wound.

"An electric stun bullet…?" She said recognizing the effect.

"What is that?" Kirito asked, focusing once again on the downed player.

"Like the name says, it's a large caliber bullet that upon impact releases an electrical current that temporarily immobilizes the target. But it can only be shoot be single action rifles and it's very expensive, being normally used when a party hunts down a large Mob. It's practically never used during PvP battles…"

But as she was wondering about the snipers strange choice in weaponry while explaining it to Kirito, her eyes caught sight of a silhouette appearing from behind one of the support pillars of the bridge causing her to stop mid sentence.

At first glance it didn't look like a player at all, its tattered dark grey mantle fluttering irregularly in the wind and the face that appeared from beneath the hood was completely covered by a skull mask.

Sinon couldn't help but feel a small shiver running down her spine as the ghost like player started walking towards Pale Rider, a strange feeling of dread permeating the air.

As she wondered how this new player had managed to come so close without being detected she focused on the weapon on his hands.

"Silent Assassin…" She spoke quietly.

It was an Accuracy International L115A3 sniper rifle. A rare weapon that, thought far weaker than her Hecate, was extremely dangerous due to its wide range of 2.000 meters and the suppressor built in the gun, turning it into a perfect weapon for ambushes it's victims falling without ever seeing or hearing the one who took them down, giving it its other name, Silent Assassin.

The mysterious mantled player gave of a deathly presence as it approached Pale Rider's unmoving form. Strapping the sniper rifle on his back, he calmly reached within his mantle.

She could feel an estrange anxiety permeating her being, by her side Kirito was so quiet that it was almost as if he wasn't there, but she couldn't remove her eye from the scope to confirm that, her gaze trapped by the sight in front of her.

She could see he had taken a handgun from the depths of his mantle, even if the shadows around his form prevented her for seeing exactly what sort of gun it was.

Pointing it directly at Pale Rider's heart he simply stood there, before slowly raising his other hand to his head and trailing it downwards to his chest before moving it from his left shoulder to his right, making a cross sign.

"Hurry up and fire Sinon!" Kirito urgently demanded, his voice filled with dread.

His tone of voice was unlike anything she had heard from him before; it held an anxiety, an urgency that sent alarm bells deep into her mind.

"Shoot that mantle guy! Please just shoot! Before he takes action! Before it's too late!"

Logically speaking she should wait for the victor to be clearly decided, taking out that way two players from the tournament. But the anxiety in his voice, coupled with the apprehension Sinon herself was having due to the strange circumstances made her slowly move her finger towards the trigger.

Even thought the distance was not excessive she carefully calculated the wind and humidity in the air, fixing her aim so it would inevitably hit the mantled player's in the center of his chest, for she had a feeling that she couldn't miss this shoot, that she had to hit no matter what.

Drawing Hecate's coldness deep into her very being she felt as her heart slowed down. Once, twice, when the bullet prediction circle shrunk for the third time and aligned itself in the very center of his chest, right above his heart, she pulled the trigger.

A storm of fire was released as Hecate's power was unleashed towards her enemy. There were only three hundredth meters between her and her target, the distance being quickly destroyed as Hecate's bullet easily broke the sound barrier.

The distance was too small, there was no line to alert her prey, she could already see an illusionary hole at the target's back. She couldn't miss.

However, as if sensing death flying towards him, the mantle player bent his body with preternatural speed, like a phantom phasing out of existence. The sure kill bullet grazing past his chest before opening a huge hole in the bridge behind him.

"…!"

As words failed her, Sinon kept staring at the impossible sight that stood before her eyes, her mind desperately trying to understand how he had evaded her shoot.

"He knew we were here… Right from the beginning… It's the only possible explanation…" She said, her finger hesitating at the trigger, knowing that now with the help of the prediction line her chances of hitting were greatly reduced.

Tilting his head slightly, as if staring straight into their hiding place, the mantle player slowly raised his handgun, his left hand supporting it beside the grip.

"Sinon!" Kirito exclaimed urgency desperately clear on his voice.

A quick flash appeared, a dry gunshot reverberating through the area.

"Ah…!" He said as if in pain, as his form that looked about to leap to his feet and charge downwards towards the bridge to stop the player seemed to suddenly loose all energy.

Pondering his strange desperation Sinon saw that the mantle player had turned around; giving his back to Pale Rider even thought he still had most of his health points and the effects of the stun bullet were about to fade.

His eyes fixed on the small red dot up above that identified a camera recording the battle.

Finally having fought off the effects of the stun bullet, Pale Rider quickly jumped to his feet. His AR17 shotgun pointed straight towards the players back

But before he could fire he suddenly drooped his gun, hands darting towards his chest as if he was in pain, body falling to his knees and mouth opened in a silent cry.

Sinon could only watch as his avatar was suddenly disconnected from the server, disappearing as if an apparition, while the mantle player kept staring at the camera, completely unconcerned to what was happening behind him.

"…What was that?" Sinon managed to muter after a few seconds.

Despite the glowing sign that said Pale Rider had just been disconnected from the server, her instincts were crying out saying there was more to it than a simple server malfunction.

Before Kirito could reply, they saw the mantle player slowly raising his gun towards the camera as if to shoot those watching.

"This is real power, real strength! Face justice and engrave the fear of this name in your hearts! This gun's name and mine: Death Gun!"

"Don't forget! It's not over, nothing's over! It's ShowTime!"

As his deep metallic voice resonated through the area Death Gun slowly moved towards the pillar from where he had appeared, disappearing amidst its shadows.

"That guy… can disconnect players from the server?" But even as she quietly asked the question Sinon felt that it was more than that, as the feeling of dread she had felt upon first seeing Death Gun refused to leave.

"…That's not it. It's not just an ordinary power." Kirito answered in a pained tone.

Turning towards him Sinon saw that his face was pained; eyes locked at the place Death Gun had just disappeared.

"He didn't kick Pale Rider out of the game…He killed him… The real life player who was controlling Pale Rider is dead." He continued in an almost dream like manner, eyes unfocused as if talking to himself.

'_That's impossible; there is no way that can happen!' _But even as these thoughts passed through her mind, Sinon remembered what her instincts were telling her before, she remembered the urgency and desperation on Kirito's voice as he asked her to shoot and she remembered the facts she had deduced about Kirito's past.

She had heard the rumors, the ghost stories players would joke around about a player capable of really killing other players, due to a few strange incidents in which high level players had been disconnected from the server to never be seen again.

"After meeting him yesterday I thought he was the one responsible, but this confirms it. Just like with Zekushiido, Usujio Tarako and Kurama, Pale Rider's body will be found in real life dead due to apparent heart failure."

"…How do you know this? What's your relationship with that guy? Who are you?!"

As she asked these questions, her heartbeat rising by the second, Sinon saw that Kirito was still looking into the bridge in deep thought, his face troubled and pained.

Growling in anger Sinon grabbed Kirito by the shoulders, turning him around and forcing him to look straight into her eyes.

"Explain, now!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

And things are finally heating up on this Arc; next chapter will be the confrontation between Kirito and Death Gun, look forward to it!

Kirito is in a tight spot, isn't he? Sinon is demanding an explanation, Suguha is suspicious of his strange new behavior and Argo got away with a very compromising piece of evidence!

In that note, I wonder how many of you figured out Argo was going to show up, or that this Death Gun would be far more supernatural than the original one. I still have some very interesting ideas for this Arc climax involving both of them.

HIRAKU: means "expand, open, pioneer"

KIYOSHI: means "pure"

So Hiraku Kiyoshi would mean Pure Pioneer or Pioneer of Purity, I liked the irony of giving a villain such a name, especially with the Sacred Gear he will wield, so that's what he got. He will be responsible for a very nice twist to the story, I'm not giving spoilers but I must admit that I'm quite proud of this idea I had involving him.

Once again sorry for the long delay, hopefully it won't happen again and I will be able to keep up with the new monthly updates.

Please review before leaving.


	13. Chapter 13 - Shadows Edge

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, I'm going to jump the actual explanation Kirito will give Sinon, since I thought it would just take space to say things that had already been said in the other chapters.

But just to make sure there are no misunderstandings, Kirito is playing Death Gun as a normal person using an accomplice to kill people outside the game, hiding his supernatural connections from Sinon. In a fashion you could say he is using the canon storyline as a lie to hide the truth from her.

Thirdly, just a hint to those of you that are writers. Constantly save as you write. Loosing over two thousand words due to a sudden power shortage and having to redo them from scratch is not a fun thing to have happen to you.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Shadows Edge**

'_This can't possibly be real…'_ Sinon thought after listening to the petite swordsman explanation about the situation.

The mere idea of someone really killing others like that, for no apparent reason other than the deed itself, was something that she simply refused to believe.

After all, even in the chaotic wilderness of Gun Gale Online, were killing intent was everywhere and slaughter was the norm, such an action would not occur to even the most bloodthirsty of players.

For after everything was said and done, the simple fact that it was not real was still there. In this world no matter how many bullets they shot, how many foes they destroyed, not even a single drop of blood would be spilled.

There was no malice, no real intent to do harm, for in the end it was just a VRMMO, it was just a game.

But even as those thoughts passed through her mind, her heart, her instincts were screaming at her that what he said was nothing but the truth.

"How… how can someone really just kill someone else like that?" Sinon softly asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

For even if she were to accept Kirito's explanation that someone was helping Death Gun to do such a thing from outside the game, the motivation that would lead someone to do such a thing was incomprehensible for her.

She could still picture that day, could still feel it as it had just happened, could still see the blood in her hands.

'_Why would someone actively seek that…?'_

"But there really are people like that." Kirito answered seriously, his voice pained. "That mantle guy… Death Gun, he killed a lot of people in the VRMMO we played before. Even after knowing that the enemy would really die, even after knowing what his actions would cause, he still swung his sword… Just as he shot Pale Rider just now… and I…"

Looking at his pained face as Kirito trailed off, eyes lost in self recrimination, Sinon finally had the proof she needed for what she had suspected for a while now.

Kirito was a survival of that incident, the incident that had cost over four thousandth people their lives due to the whims of a single madman, he was a SAO survivor.

And if his words could be trusted Death Gun was just like him.

'_No, not like him, that's not it.'_ She thought, unconsciously tightening her grip on Hecate as she realized his words painted a far more terrifying truth.

Someone who even thought knew what would happen still actively killed other players, someone who desired nothing but slaughter. And that someone was right here in this tournament with them.

She could feel the weight of Hecate like never before as her mind slowly drifted towards the day she herself had stained her hands.

"Sinon?" Kirito asked with a worry in his voice, breaking her bleak thoughts.

Looking at the worry in the incongruously beautiful feminine face of the strange swordsman Sinon sighted lightly before recomposing herself.

"Don't worry, is just that your words were a little shocking. To be honest I can't… no." She stopped, shaking her head slightly to clear her mind. "I don't want to believe you. But I can tell you are not lying, and that, alongside with what I have seen so far…"

"Thanks, that's enough." Kirito replied with relief.

Before she could answer the device on her right hand started to vibrate slightly, indicating the satellite scan was about to begin.

"Kirito keep watch, I'm going to try to find that players name."

Receiving a nod in answer Sinon focused on the device, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion as the satellite scan progressed without showing anyone in their vicinity.

Quickly scanning the rest of the map Sinon saw that there eleven players had already been defeated, leaving nineteen players remaining. But only seventeen lights were on display, ignoring Pale Rider disconnected avatar that meant that the last one had to be Death Gun.

'_It's just like before. Could he be hiding underwater just like Kirito did?'_

As Sinon thought that the scan ended, leaving only their five senses to search for the enemy for the next fifteen minutes.

"We have to move, those who had seen the scan will target this position, either from thinking we had been fighting and coming to take out the winner or suspecting we might have formed a temporary alliance and deciding to finish a future threat."

"Yeah, you are right." Kirito answered in a tired voice. "Sinon, if I were to ask you to find an absolutely safe place and wait there until the end of the tournament…"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Sinon cut him off before he even could finish speaking. "As if I could do such a cowardly thing! And besides, there are no safe places on this island, all hide holes where the satellite scan doesn't reach, like the caves in the northern desert, are death traps if your opponent has grenades or other such weapons."

"If what you said is true, then being taken out like that would leaves us sitting ducks, since our avatar would be completely immobilized until the end of the tournament."

Sinon didn't know why Death Gun had left Dyne alone after dealing with Pale Rider, but she had no desire to count on luck to save her as she simply stood there helpless waiting for the tournament to end.

"I got it, so let's split up here." Kirito calmly replied.

Caught off guard by his sudden declaration Sinon managed to calm herself before staring at the strange swordsman who had just plunged into her life.

"But, what are you planning to do?"

"I'll go after Death Gun. I can't allow him to kill anyone else; if I face him in combat I'm certain I'll remember his name and them we will be able to deal with him in the real world."

His words were strong and unrelenting, as if he had no other choice than to stop Death Gun, as if it was his duty to stop him.

"Don't worry, when this is over I'll keep our promise and fight you with everything I have. But for now please keep your distance from him. Thanks for hearing my words and not shooting me."

With those words he left the bushes where they had been hiding and dropped towards the bridge where Death Gun had disappeared, without even waiting for her response.

Seeing the petite warrior that was walking away, his face focused into an unflinching resolve, Sinon realized that Kirito was walking towards danger without a second thought to his own safety after pretty much telling her that it was too dangerous for her to get involved into the same matter.

'_That's enough.'_ She thought, defiance permeating her entire being.

"Hold it right there!" She shouted, making Kirito twirl into place in surprise as she rushed to his side.

"I'm coming wit you too!" She declared, her eyes daring him to question her. "Who do you think you are, walking alone towards a possible dangerous situation?"

"That guy is an expert even without that gun, and you who knew next to nothing about this game less than twenty four hours ago will just go out there and challenge him alone?!" She continued without allowing him pause to interject.

"Considering the possibility that your crazy theory is right, then if you lose you will die! And yet you simply charge ahead without any backup, like some foolish shounen hero!"

"No it's too dangerous! You saw the battle right? Once you're hit it's over and…"

"Precisely!" Sinon cut him off. "And yet you were already running out into an open field in order to recklessly try and find him like a goddamned rookie! I'm the best sniper in GGO, you will need my input to take this bastard down and besides, as I said before, there is no such thing as a safe haven in this island, as long as that guy is around everyone is at risk, so it's best to turn the hunter into the hunted and take him out!"

She could see her words affecting him, his pained face clearly showing he didn't want to endanger her but couldn't refute her words.

Honestly speaking she would admit, even if only to herself, that the very idea scared her. To face a gun that could actually kill her, it rang too close to her memories for comfort, making her wish nothing more than to listen to his advice and keep her distance from the entire mess.

And yet she knew deep within herself that she couldn't leave this idiotic swordsman to simply rush headlong into danger.

For somehow, without her even noticing, amidst his cluelessness and crazy antics, between annoying and exasperating her, he had managed to avoid the walls she had build around herself and become something she hadn't had in a long time, someone who could understand and empathize with her, he had become a friend.

Watching his troubled face, she saw when he suddenly downed a mask of pure concentration, all traces of emotion leaving his face as he grabbed his light saber and charged towards her at a speed almost too fast to follow.

But before she could react he had rushed past her, his blade a whirlwind of movement as he blocked a shower of bullets that was assailing their position.

Not wasting a single moment, Sinon twisted around while simultaneously raising Hecate to her eyes, searching for their assailants from behind Kirito's swirling defense.

'_We wasted too much time discussing here.'_ She berated herself upon seeing three silhouettes around the rock formations near the bridge firing at them with automatic assault rifles.

Upon seeing them talking with each other, the players had come with the conclusion they were working together and formed a coalition to take care of the threat.

Cursing under her breath upon seeing that the angle would not afford a kill shot and realizing that Kirito was holding his ground due to her avatar being behind him, Sinon dashed to the side.

Running towards a rock she jumped atop it before propelling herself to the top of a nearby tree and immediately kicking it off to gain even more height.

At the apex of her jump she looked through Hecate's scope, her opponents clear on her line of sight, their cover rendered completely useless.

Despite knowing she had but a moment to pull this off before they realized what she was doing or gravity took back its hold Sinon calmly took aim. She could feel Hecate's coldness entering her being as the world seemed to slow down all around her.

She didn't hesitate, the very moment the bullet prediction circle shrunk encompassing one of her opponents head she pulled the trigger.

A storm of fire exploded out of Hecate, showering death down at those below as if a god vengeance delivered against those who dared defy him, immediately downing one of their assailants as the bullet pierced straight through his helmet.

'_One down, two to go.'_ She thought as she fell back to the ground watching as Kirito charged headfirst towards their two remaining foes.

It was like watching a tidal wave rushing towards the shoreline, fierce, fast and unrelenting.

His charge was completely unaffected by the ever more frantic efforts of their opponents, as his speed and reflexes allowed him to weave between the bullets with ease, his light saber flashing around him as if it was a shield of light diverting the few bullets he couldn't dodge.

With a sudden burst of speed he was before his first opponent, his sword jumping forward in a blur of light as it pierced right through his opponent chest.

The last opponent, who she now recognized as Xiahou Dun, an competent machine gun user who had participated on the last tournament, had just reloaded his weapon and was raising it towards Kirito planning to take him out before he could release his sword from his companion downed avatar.

But before he could open fired he was forced to dive to the side in order to avoid Sinon's bullet, giving Kirito all the time he needed to reach him, sword raised in an over headed strike aimed at his neck.

As she approached his side, she couldn't help but allow a small smile to appear on her face, amused by their sudden coordination during the attack and ease with which they had taken the other players down, knowing that this had just proven her whole point.

"So, any more objections?" She asked smiling even more upon seeing Kirito sigh and drop his head in acceptance.

* * *

"They haven't caught Onii-chan in camera yet…" Leafa complained shaking her blond ponytail as she sat in a small couch on Kirito's and Asuna's house on Yggdrasil city.

"That's really unexpected, I really thought he would definitely go in and show all his skills." Silica said in agreement from her side alongside Leafa and Asuna, her brown cat ears twitching as a small blue feathered dragon sitting at her shoulder screeched his agreement.

"No, no, that guy knows what he is doing. He's probably hiding somewhere while waiting for the number of participants to drop." Klein boisterously proclaimed from the bar counter at the corner of the room.

"Kirito wouldn't do such a thing." Asuna calmly relied, knowing Kirito's personality wouldn't allow him to simple hid away as a chance to test his skills was happening all around him.

"That's right. Papa would definitely take his opponents down with such speed the camera wouldn't even be able to follow it!" Yue happily exclaimed from her perch on Koneko's left shoulder, her small wings flapping in excitement as the small [Rook's] white cat ears twitching slightly even as she continued to nibble at the treats Asuna had made.

Upon hearing that declaration Lizbeth couldn't help but start laughing from her seat at the side of the room.

"Ahaha, that's rather possible too." She proclaimed with mirth. "Since from what Argo told me he decided to use a sword instead of a gun in a game full of gun weaponry!"

At those words everyone imagined Kirito's situation, facing assault rifles and machine guns with a sword, and the room immediately filled with laughter.

Amidst the laughter Asuna couldn't help but wish that more members of the Occult Research Club beside Koneko could have come to this little get together.

But Rias had gone to the Gremory state in the underworld at her parents behest, with Akeno and Kiba accompanying her. While Asia had all but dragged Issei into a date with her after finally losing her patience when all her subtle, and not so subtle, hints about him taking her on one simply flew right above his head.

She couldn't believe how oblivious Issei could be regarding attention from the opposite sex, especially considering what he proclaimed his dream was. She was certain that even now with Asia taking him out to the movies he still didn't realize he was going on a date with the former nun.

'_Seriously, what do they have to do to take the message across that they like him? Sleep naked on his bed with him?' _She thought jokingly, pitying both Rias and Asia due to their love interest cluelessness. _'Not even back on Aincrad was Kirito that oblivious.'_

For what she could see, the way things were standing their greatest hurdle to achieve their love intentions would not be the competition with each other, but Issei himself and his lack of awareness.

Shaking her head in bemusement she once again focused at the great glass wall that normally showed Alfheim magnificent scenery but could double as a screen, as it was doing now showing the Bullet of Bullets tournament live broadcast.

"But why did Kirito had to suddenly change his avatar out of ALO just to enter this tournament?" Silica asked while nibbling at one of the many snacks Asuna had made.

"Well… he received some strange job from Kikuoka. I heard that he had to investigate some possible problems with VRMMOs, or rather, the current state of 'The SEED Nexus'. And since GGO is the only game with a 'Money Trading System', it was chosen to be investigated." Asuna answered, repeating the words Kirito had told her.

But even as she said that, the lingering doubts she felt about this particular endeavor forced their way to the surface.

Kirito hadn't lied to her, as always he had been truthful. She knew that, especially when considering that when everything was said and done Kirito couldn't lie convincingly to save his life.

But she also knew that he wasn't above concealing part of the truth, especially if he believed that he was doing the right thing by doing it.

She knew that there was something going on, but allowed Kirito his secrets, knowing he could take care of himself and hopefully wouldn't do something like one of his stupidly suicidal ideas while she wasn't watching over him.

'…_and now I have an even worse premonition about this whole mess._' Asuna silently despaired due to the conclusions her mind was making against her will.

She could feel it on her bones. The same wariness that would permeate her being as monster would start to slowly surround her party just outside the range of her search skill.

"I see… well he is the kind of guy that can immediately adapt to a new situation, so I guess he is uniquely suited for the job." Lizbeth said, having picked up Asuna's apparent worry and trying to ease it up.

"But if that was the case why did he join a PvP tournament all out of a sudden? If it was just investigation work shouldn't he just be talking on the streets to other players or something like that?" Leafa asked dubiously, showing her own concern towards the situation.

"Don't worry about the small stuff; Kirito's got to have a plan. And besides he is way too thought to be taken down by some measly firearms! He can always pull trough and get the job done, one of the reasons why Argo decided to approach him in GGO." Klein immediately chimed in trying to help, without even realizing precisely what he had just said.

'_What does Argo has to do with this?' _Asuna though sharply, realizing that Lizbeth too had said that her knowledge that Kirito was using a sword in the game came from Argo.

"Wow, this guy is really good!" Silica said, interrupting Asuna's line of thought and bringing her attention back to the screen.

One of the battles on display at the moment was certainly interesting. One player with some kind of assault rifle was holed up on a bridge while the other was swiftly avoiding his opponent's bullets by climbing and jumping trough the steel cables of the bridge.

'_Seems like some of these players do have some skills. '_ She thought while looking at the names displayed at the screen, Dyne and Pale Rider.

But suddenly, after wining against his opponent the player in the blue uniform, Pale Rider, suddenly collapsed a spark effect flowing through his body from a bullet wound on his shoulder.

"His movements were sealed! It's just like the wind magic 'Lightning Curtain Seal'!" Leafa said as she enlarged the image to get a better look.

"I hate those things the most. And besides, that tracking ability's too good already, isn't it!" Klein said upon hearing Leafa's words, shaking his red hair in annoyance.

"You hate all sorts of weakening spells! Increase your anti-magic ability a bit, will you?" She replied still watching the screen.

"Whatever, who cares about that. A warrior like me won't choose a skill with the word 'magic' in it no matter what! I won't choose it even if it kills me!"

But their good natured quarrel was brought to a halt by a sudden gasp coming from Silica.

"…Phantom…"

On the screen, walking towards Pale Rider's immobilized form was a hooded player wearing a dark-grey tattered mantle danced in the wind, his face completely hidden in shadows. Only two small red orbs shining where his eyes should be.

Even thought she knew it was a player, and not one of the spectral-type mobs that were so deadly on Aincrad Asuna couldn't help but feel a shiver run down her spine, and judging by the looks of all the other former SAO players in the room, they also had less than pleasant memories about that particular monster.

The mantled player slowly approached Pale Rider, drawing a black handgun from the folds of his mantle.

Pointing it towards his opponent he slowly raised his left hand towards his head, then downwards to his chest, then from one shoulder to the other making a cross sign.

Asuna could feel a small knot of anxiety form on the pit of her stomach, she had a vague feeling that something was not right, something was about to happen.

Unknowingly tensing her body, she watched with wide eyes as he brought his left hand towards the side of the gun before finally starting to squeeze the trigger.

But suddenly he bent his body backwards, a sudden burst of light showing he had dodge a bullet by mere inches.

Righting his body back up amidst the shower of concrete splinters caused by the sneak attack he turned. Calmly, almost dismissively, he looked towards the area this new assailiant was hidden before once again taking aim against Pale Rider.

Even if she couldn't see his face, she could feel the frivolous cold hearted smile he was sporting, and was surprised by the sudden familiarity it invoked.

For all the tension of it's preparation, the execution was almost disappointing. Squeezing the trigger a single bullet was shot against Pale Rider's torso, lowering his health but not even coming close to killing him.

Yet despite that, the mantled player turned around, completely dismissing his opponent as he seemed to gaze straight into the camera.

Finally having fought off the effects of the stun bullet, Pale Rider quickly jumped to his feet. His shotgun pointed straight towards the players back.

But before he could fire he suddenly drooped his gun, hands darting towards his chest as if he was in pain, body falling to his knees and mouth opened in a silent cry.

Without a single sound or movement coming from the other player whose back was still turned towards him even despite the surreal situation, Pale rider's avatar suddenly disappeared, the words 'Disconnected' floating where he once where.

And yet, Asuna couldn't convince herself that it had been mere coincidence, his completely lack of surprise, complete lack of reaction, showed that the mantled player had been expecting this.

Gazing at the twin crimson orbs hidden beneath the cloaks darkness, Asuna watched as he slowly raised his gun towards the camera, as if threatening the viewers, before an inhuman metallic voice resounded from his form.

"This is real power, real strength! Face justice and engrave the fear of this name in your hearts! This gun's name and mine: Death Gun!"

"Don't forget! It's not over, nothing's over! It's ShowTime!"

Upon hearing those words Asuna felt a crack appear on her memories, those specific words and the feeling of mercilessness, of inhumanity they invoked.

'_I know this player.'_ She thought in sudden realization, remembering a floating castle where death was always just a single steep behind you. _'I couldn't be mistaken, we have met talked and battled on Aincrad.'_

'_Is not over…'_ She focused on his words. _'He means Sword Art Online is not over yet. Who is this player?'_

So focused she was on her thoughts that when something shattered at her side she nearly jumped in surprise.

Klein was siting at the bar bench, eyes wide. The crystal glass he had been drinking from layed in pieces at the floor as his hands lost their grip on it.

"Impossible… It can't be. That guy… don't tell me…"

Upon hearing this Asuna really jumped out of the sofa, her face determined and eyes locked into the crimson samurai wide eyes.

"Klein, do you know him? Who exactly is that guy?"

"No, I don't remember his name but…I am certain… That guy is a member of 'Laughing Coffin'." He said, worry on his voice.

Those words made a wave of concern to cross all former SAO players on the room as they remembered the atrocities the red guild had committed.

"Klein, don't tell me he is the leader of those guy's?"

"No, that was Poh, and their manner of speaking is completely different. But that last phrase, 'it's show time' was Poh favorite catch phrase. He is definitely a member, and quite possible a high ranking one."

"Klein, isn't Death Gun the name of the player Argo is trying to find out due to suspicion in having a connection with that Stray Devil?" Lizbeth asked with a hint of panic in her voice.

"Shit, you are right!" He exclaimed, eyes widening even more. "And when I spoke with her earlier today she said she was going to contact Kirito for help!"

"but isn't that linked to those strange deaths!" Silica said in full out panic.

Ignoring everything else that was happening around her, Asuna focused on only three details she had just heard from her panicking friends. They used the term Stray Devil as if they truly knew its meaning, strange deaths had occurred, and there was some kind of connection between this stray devil, the game, the deaths, Argo and Kirito.

Immediately remembering what her gut instincts had been telling her for the last couple of days, Kirito's core nature, and his strange actions in regards to this subject Asuna quickly summed it all up and came to one simple conclusion.

'_Kirito we are going to have a long talk when this is over.'_ She grimly thought while walking towards her panicking friends, a stern look on her face, her eyes fierce and unrelenting.

Passing by a worried looking Yui and a silently calculating Koneko she stood before the panicking trio, her mere presence silencing them immediately.

"Explain everything you know about this situation, why is there a Stray Devil involved and what Argo and Kirito are up to, now!" Even thought she hadn't raised her voice, they all practically jumped at attention at the sternness of her voice.

Trading worried looks, they started to talk; confirming her worries that yes, Kirito was doing something dangerous and stupidly heroic, again.

At the corner of the room, standing nearly forgotten in the chaos, Leafa carefully listened to what was being said between the others, a calculative look battling with worry in her eyes.

* * *

Silently waiting amidst the buildings of the ruined city in the center of the map, Sinon focused on what she had learned so far as she waited for Kirito to start their trap.

Despite the nearly absurdity of Kirito's story, she couldn't help but believe him. She could feel he was speaking the truth, and yet despite the danger, she had decided to help him.

But even as she treasured this strange conection they had forged between them, she silently cursed its weight. The fear of losing the first friend she had made in years pressed on her hearth.

The last satellite scan had shown that only eight players remained, including themselves. And worse, two more names couldn't be found in the map Goren and Sterben, indicating that they might have been taken out by Death Gun.

Of the three names Kirito had suspected of being Death Gun only Jyuushi X remained on the scan, inside the city and cornering another player.

So Kirito had decided to move out of cover, drawing him out where Sinon would then snipe him, despite the higher risk to himself that this plan would entail he simply dismissed it saying he believd in her.

'_Why does he trust me so much?'_ She couldn't help but think, remembering his nearly off handed comment of how he was counting on her to take Death Gun out in case he was hit by the stun bullet. _'It's like he doesn't even bother to consider his own safety when compared to others!'_

Hearing Kirito's footsteps on the distance Sinon prepared herself from her position in one of the city's walkways. Vowing to herself that this time she would not miss.

As she slowed her heartbeat she couldn't help but think that this might be it. The battle she had been always searching for so long. For now it wouldn't be just a game, but a real battle for survival.

Feeling her fear trying to escape her hold, she berated herself. Allowing Hecate's coldness to permeate her being and slowing her heartbeat once more.

Suddenly feeling a chill running down her spine, Sinon tried to move out of the way, but was a split second too late.

Being hit near her left shoulder she could feel the numbness of the stun bullet coursing trough her body as she fell to the ground.

Hearing the automatic fire coming from Kirito's direction she knew they had miscalculated. The sniper had attacked from the south, while Kirito was engaged with Jyuushi X in the north.

'_He is somehow avoiding the satellite scan!'_ She thought while fighting the stun bullet effects.

Slwoly, not even twenty meters away from her prone position, Sinon saw the air ripple and distort before a player in a tattered dark-grey mantle appeared out of thin air.

'_Metamaterial optical camouflage!'_ She thought recognizing the extremely rare item that allowed a player to hide himself from view by blending light to look like its environment. An item that was considered the ultimate camouflage material, and that apparently worked in blocking the satellite scan as well.

From underneath the slightly fluttering mantle, she could see the large sniper rifle that reached down to near his shoes and the silencer that was equipped in front of it. If that large mantle had the optical camouflage ability, he could launch an attack even if he sniped his opponents.

Death Gun slowly approached her downed form, his actions calm and unhurried. As he stopped at only two meters of her position Sinon could see the skull like helmet he wore, his eyes shining with an eerie red light.

"...Kirito, now, I can tell, if you're, the real one, or, a fake." He said in a near murmur, his halting inhuman voice only reinforcing his phantom like appearance.

"I remember, when you, lost your inhibitions, on that day of battle. Once I kill this woman, who is your friend, once you free yourself like that again, you'll be, the real Kirito. Come; let me see it, let me witness that blade of yours, full of anger, killing intent and madness."

Behind the madness and danger of his declaration only one thing was clear to Sinon, a single fact that upon reaching her mind ignited a flame of defiance in her body.

'_He wants to kill me? This hermit who can only use optical camouflage wants to kill me?!'_

Her anger fulling her body she slowly fought the stun bullet, fighting for every inch as her arm slowly moved towards her MP7 submachine gun that laid on her waist.

Death Gun slowly raised his empty left hand from under the mantle, using two fingers to touch the forehead underneath the hood. Sinon then noticed that there was a light blue 3-layered circle floating device above Death Gun, and the red [REC] line continued to flicker showing it was a live camera feed.

The skinny left hand that had a black leather glove passed through his chest and reached for the left shoulder as Sinon slowly got hold of the grip of the MP7.

'_Move, move, move!'_ She commanded her body, knowing time was nearly up.

Death Gun finished his cross sign and was slowly reaching inside his mantle for his weapon, at the same time Sinon was fighting to raise her MP7, the familiar weight of the mini-SMG feeling as heavy as a mountain.

'_Gotcha!'_ She thought in triumph, raising her weapon and reading to fire. But before she could pull the trigger her entire body froze into place, ice taking hold of her limbs as her hearth was filled with dread.

Her eyes were fixed in the weapon on his hand, an apparently ordinary handgun with a serrated metal grip with an small engraving on it's center, a circle with a star in the middle.

It was a Blackstar, type 54, handgun. And for all it's apparent common appearance, it's mere sight was enough to ground her into place, the effects of the stun bullet all but forgotten.

She lost her strength and let it slip out of her right hand, her final hope, the SMG. However, Sinon could not even hear the sound of the gun dropping, darkness filled her vision as the image of another person encompassed that of Death Gun.

The man that with a Blackstar had threatened her mother as he robed a little post office in a small city... the man Sinon had attack to protect her mother... the man she had killed with his own weapon.

The red sunset and grey ruins gradually vanished, leaving behind only the crimson eyes and the gun in the darkness, as she waited for the bullet to reach her, for her sins to finally catch up with her.

For once that finger moved a few more inches, the hammer would hit the firing pin, firing the metal bullet that would shoot through Sinon/Shino's heart inside and outside the game, stopping it, killing her.

Just like what Shino did to that man that day.

That was an unavoidable fact. Even if she did escaped from GGO, she would still be caught up by this man in some place. Her efforts were all in vain. No matter how much she struggled to break free from her past, it was meaningless. She couldn't escape from her past, she couldn't escape from herself.

Just as her consciousness was giving up, her eyes closing as she waited for the bullet to hit her and end everything, a flicker of feeling, as small and as fine as sand, still defiantly remained.

'_I don't want to give up. I don't want everything to end here. I finally managed to understand the meaning of 'strength'! If I can remain with that guy and watch him, one day, surely I'll…' _That small part of her screamed in defiance.

Sinon's thoughts were finally interrupted by the gunshot that reverberated trough the sky. And yet she couldn't feel where she had been hit.

Opening her eyes, she saw it hadn't been her that had been hit it was the mantled player in front of her that was shot.

A second bullet missed him by inches, leaving a sizable hole in the floor, indicating the large caliber of the gun being used.

Jumping into the entrance of a building for cover, Sinon saw as Death Gun placed the Blackstar back into his gun holster, pulled out the L115 on his back and quickly reloaded the magazine. Switching the stun bullets into the sure-kill .338 Lapua bullets. After aiming, he squeezed the trigger without hesitation.

The silent gunshot and the third attack occurred at the same time. But this time, the enemy did not attack with a gun, something that looked like a can rolled onto the road between Sinon and Death Gun, a grenade.

Seeing the danger Death Gun immediately moved inside the building for cover as Sinon closed her eyes as she waited for the blast, knowing that if the grenade exploded here at such a distance, she would suffer rather serious injuries.

'_However, it would be better than being shot by Death Gun's Blackstar. That's right; I might as well die like this. To retreat from this tournament, and then retreat from GGO, no, VRMMO, and live a low-profile life in the real world, always bearing the fear of being caught up by that man one day…' _

However, the developments this time again betrayed Sinon's expectations. The metal can that exploded half a second later wasn't a powerful plasma grenade an ordinary player liked to use, and neither was it a normal one or an incendiary napalm one, but merely a harmless smoke grenade.

The white smoke immediately covered Sinon's vision filing the entire area, and she couldn't help but hold her breath.

Even thought she knew this was her chance to escape, Sinon was still incapable to move, her past and the stun bullet keeping her rooted into place.

And yet before anything else could happen someone had brusquely pulled her out of the ground, carrying her and Hecate as they run trough the smoke.

Raising her head Sinon saw an pearl white face with obsidian eyes and long silky black hair that trailed behind them due to the speed in which they were moving.

'_Kirito…'_ She thought as the small flame of defiance she had felt before sparked to life once again.

A bullet sailed a couple of meters to their side, the lack of noise following the gunshot showing that Death Gun was pursuing them closely.

She didn't know what sort of character the enemy was, but he couldn't be slower than Kirito who was carrying Sinon, and it would only be a matter of time before they get caught up. Kirito himself should understand this too. However, the lightsaber warrior showed no intention to stop or put Sinon down. He merely gritted his teeth, breathed hard and continued to run forward.

Rushing into one of the buildings entrances Sinon saw as Kirito's face shifted from worry into determination. Quickly reaching into his belt he grabbed another grenade before tossing it into the entrance and diving trough a side door.

The explosion that followed showed that it had been an plasma grenade, but despite it's massive blast radius Sinon knew that Death Gun would evade it's blast.

But even with this knowledge as she was held by Kirito as he speedily run trough the ruined city twisting corridors in order to loose their pursuer, even thought she knew what was hunting them would not stop until finding them, she couldn't help but feel that small flame grow.

It was but a candle amidst a sea of darkness, a forlorn hope that could be extinguished at a moments notice. And yet, somehow, for a single moment, Sinon truly believed that everything would be alright.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

And the Hunt is on. Death Gun has his sight on the prize and has no intention of loosing it. The final showdown will happen in the next chapter, and as you probably noticed by the scene with Asuna and the gang, Kirito won't be able to keep flying solo for much longer.

Also as you all are probably suspecting due to the ending, and the absolute lack of a chase involving buggys and mechanical horses in it, next chapter will start to greatly divert from the GGO canon. It took me four chapters to reach this point in a believable manner, but finally the influence of the DxD universe will start to be felt more clearly in this arc.

Just making things clear, when they failed to see his name in the scan they believed that Sterben had been a victim of Death Gun, just like Pale Rider and Goren. Making they believe that Jyuushi X was Death Gun, while in fact he was just hiding under the cloak.

Some of you will notice Kirito was more decisive in his hunt when compared to canon. That is easily explainable by the fact that this time he knows that Death Gun is a real threat, and the fact it's a supernatural incident makes him believe its his responsibility to set things right. As Argo would say, he has his heart and intentions in the right place, but has the sense of duty and survival instincts of a kamikaze.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	14. Chapter 14 - Beyond the Shadows

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like to thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, confirming what some of you asked in your reviews, yes 'The Rat' indeed recruited Klein, Lizbeth and Silica into her peerage, can't leave the SAO cast out of the madness afterall.

Thirdly, this chapter will finish the tournament part of the GGO arc. The chapter shaped up nicely, but truth be told, while it's quite good, I was sad to stop it where it did, since that regrettably left all the major twists to the next chapter, being only hinted on this one, but the sheer size of it forced me to split it.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Beyond the Shadows**

Meticulously scanning her surroundings, Kirigaya Yui, former MHCP001 Mental Health Counseling Program, carefully accessed the situation that was unfolding on her parents ALO home from her perch on one of the room's couches.

Following the strings of data that the server continuously brought back and forward from the players AmuSpheres she started to sort through the chaos of emotions that was permeating the room.

Bewilderment, shock, surprise, fear, anger, worry, determination, resolve; the myriad of emotions that were being felt by her Mama, her Onee-chan and their friends were truly impressive and nearly enough to sweep her into their emotional chaos, but with a deep breath Yui forced her own emotions back into control in order to better analyze the situation.

Filling away a stray thought for later analysis; that such an action was far easier to accomplish now, when her body was composed completely out of data, when compared to when she had a physical equivalent, she started to order her thoughts.

'_Fact: Papa has been acting oddly in regards to a supposedly ordinary investigation regarding the game Gun Gale Online.'_

'_Fact: Papa has great difficulty in letting go of past emotional turmoil and would do his utmost to keep those he held dear away from any possible danger, even at greater risk to himself.'_

Turning her gaze towards Klein, Lizbeth and Silica she focused in the information she was gleaning from their impromptu ongoing confession to her Mama.

'_Fact: Mama and Papa's friends posses detailed knowledge of the supernatural, knowledge that could only be gained directly from the source.'_

'_Fact: According to data acquired by her Papa Argo is a High Class Devil and showed previous interest in recruiting her Papa and Mama into her Peerage due to their SAO experience.'_

'_Fact: Klein, Lizbeth and Silica are SAO survivors and have direct contact with Argo.'_

'_Hypothesis: Argo has invited them into her Peerage, reincarnating them as Devils.'_

Nodding to herself Yui acknowledge the high probability of that particular line of thought being true, a probability that was raising even higher upon careful analysis of the information that she could access from their AmuSpheres.

The differences were incredibly small, point in fact, if not for the fact that she intrinsically knew all their base information and their usual patterns due to prolonged exposure in SAO she was fairly sure she would have never realized it.

After becoming a Devil both of her parents information in the system had suffered a slight change, in all likelihood due to changes in their body's caused by the change in species.

And she could see those same changes in the fidgeting trio that was handling the full force of her Mama's glare.

But that particular realization paled upon the knowledge of what her Papa was truly doing, helping to search a murderer who was being aided by a Stray Devil, by putting himself right in the middle of the problem to act as bait.

For a moment Yui had to struggle with the worry and fear that the knowledge of the fact her Papa was putting himself at risk brought to bear. An action she noted her Mama was doing herself, although there were also traces of anger in her demeanor.

Looking to her side she looked at her Onee-chan. Koneko had been completely silent since the start of the discussion. Looking at the streams of data that connect her avatar to her real body, Yui could see that her initial response of shock and worry was being quickly replaced by determination, protectiveness and hints of dread.

Filling away the thrill of happiness Koneko's unspoken acknowledgment of their family, and her protectiveness of them, Yui turned to the last resident in the room.

She was slightly bewildered how the others could forget her presence amidst them, although having personally felt the raging power of out of control emotions when in her physical body she supposed that it wasn't that surprising.

Focusing on Leafa, Kirigaya Suguha, her Papa's adoptive sister, she locked on the streams of information surrounding her. Her initial response of incredulity, shock and disbelief was being quickly replaced with worry, curiosity, anger and determination.

'_Enquire: Are normal humans truly allowed to hear about this kind of information, and in case of a negative answer, how best to shield Leafa Oba-chan from possible fallouts?'_

But before she could further pursue that line of thought, Yui saw that Leafa Oba-chan had apparently made a decision.

With a sudden spike in her determination and anger Leafa purposely walked right into the middle of the discussion, the sudden quiet shock that filled the air confirming Yui's earlier supposition that the others had forgotten about the presence of an uninformed party in their midst.

"What is happening? You all are talking about Devils and other supernatural stuff like it's absolutely normal! And what is this about Onii-chan getting involved with a murderer?!" Leafa asked, worry, concern and anger clear on her outburst.

As her Mama and the others traded worried glances while inwardly pondering about what to tell to the fuming Sylph , Yui's attention was diverted to the forgotten screen that was still displaying the Bullet of Bullets tournament.

More specifically, to an effeminate looking player, with beautiful long hair and pale porcelain white skin; charging towards a rifle wielding female player at the top of a stadium like structure.

Ignoring the loud voices that were talking around her, she analyzed the body type and physical features of the effeminate looking player, immediately recognizing them, quickly looking for the name in the corner of the screen for confirmation of what she already knew.

"Papa!" Yui cheerfully exclaimed, bringing the raising argument around her to a halt.

All around her eyes focused on the screen, which was immediately enlarged to encompass the entire window.

In the silence that followed, Yui noticed that the previous emotions of anger, fear and frustration that had been predominant until that moment were being quickly replaced by amusement and incredulity, although the feeling of shock appeared to remain unaffected.

"Oh you got to be kidding me!" Klein exclaimed, mirth evident in his voice.

"Onii-chan?" Leafa asked in slight shock.

"Kirito-kun…" Asuna sighted in slight bemusement.

Tilting her head to the side in curiosity, Yui tried to better encompass all the various faces in the room and the vast array of expression that were on display, expressions that were ranging from amused shock to outright hilarity.

Taking a second look around the room Yui wondered for the cause of such an emotional change.

'_Enquire: Why has Papa's new avatar caused such a reaction? It's a beautiful avatar, nearly as pretty as Mama!'_

But both her line of enquire and the general amusement in the room were cut short when they saw that Kirito was frantically running towards a downed player far below his position, a player who was being approached by a familiar masked player in a tattered mantle, Death Gun.

She watched as Kirto picked up a large caliber rifle from the opponent he had defeated moments earlier and took aim before firing two shots, never once slowing down during the process, despite the bullet wound he received in response to his assault.

As he jumped downwards amidst a sea of smoke and grabbed the downed player his face was a mask of pure determination. Carrying her he immediately started to run away in an attempt to shake off their pursuer who instantly gave chase, his masked visage feeling her with dread.

Yui could feel it amidst the silence, the panic and fear building up, gaining strength until it could burst out. But before she could do anything about it a voice cut through the silence, ending the mounting panic before it could truly start with the strength and determination it conveyed.

"Listen up!" Asuna commanded, her face determined and steel in her eyes. "We don't have time for questions or discussions right now, so here is what we are going to do!"

"Klein! You Lizbeth and Silica are going to contact Argo and inform her about the situation. Knowing her she did not ask Kirito to directly confront Death Gun, and might not know exactly what he is doing. Inform her so that she may decide how best to help solve this mess."

Klein practically saluted at her tone, not uttering a single word in defiance, Lizbeth and Silica at his side nodding their agreement.

"Leafa, I know you don't fully understand what is happening, but your foolish brother may have just found himself in trouble, again, and time could be of the essence. Stay put and wait for one of us to contact you, I promise we will explain things later."

Leafa's expression showed that she was not happy with that idea, but was reluctant to defy the military looking Undine who was staring as if daring her to question her orders.

"Koneko you are…"

"Going with you." Koneko said in a matter of fact tone that left no room for discussion, not even waiting for Asuna to finish speaking, to the general shock of the room.

"Koneko…" Asuna tried to say, only to be interrupted again before she could even try to object.

"Going with you." She spoke with finality, pure determination filling her entire form.

Staring at the petit [Rook] for a moment before sighing in defeat Asuna turned towards Klein.

"Klein, change of plans. Lizbeth and Silica will contact Argo, do you remember Issei and Asia? They should be in the movie theater near Kuoh academy, contact them and inform them of what's happening before meeting up with me at this address." She quickly amended her plan while telling him the address of the hospital where Kirito was staying.

"Koneko,Yui and myself are going straight towards where Kirito is to make sure he is alright and protect him while he is inside the game."

Yui couldn't help but smile at the way her Mama had taken control of the situation, the doubt and fear that had been plaguing the other occupants of the room having all but vanished in face of her actions and demeanor.

"Everyone understands?" Asuna asked, her expression daring anyone to give a negative answer. "Good! Now move it!" She exclaimed as all around them screens appeared as their friends started to log out to accomplish their tasks.

Preparing herself to form a physical body and enter her parents birth world, Yui could feel her mother's resolve and determination filing her own being.

'_Papa, we are coming!' _ She thought before disappearing in a shower of polygons.

* * *

Laying on the ground on one of the many ruined buildings that covered the center area of the island, Hecate resting by her side, her knees held against her chest and her head lowered upon them, Sinon couldn't stop remembering the masked wraith that had attempted to end her life, her sudden rescue and the following mad dash across the city in order to lose him.

Looking at the petit swordsman who had saved her calmly using his first-aid pack to treat the two bullet wounds on his avatar and recover some of his HP, as if nothing major had happened, as if they hadn't just escaped death itself, Sinon couldn't help but feel envious of his calm, his unshakable strength.

Her breathing was still labored and her heartbeat erratic, as memories of that day in the post office continued to flash trough her mind. Compared to his strength, she cursed her own weakness.

"Sinon, Death Gun just appeared beside you, right? He also disappeared at the bridge and the satellite couldn't get any visual on him, does that mantle have some sort of ability to make him invisible?"

"Yes, that's a unique ability called 'Metamaterial Optical Camouflage'. It's normally reserved for boss monsters, but in very rare instances, equipments with that effect can be found in the wastelands." She replied in a small voice.

Kirito nodded in understanding, his eyes focused inwards as he wondered how best to counter this new ability.

"How did you come and save me at the stadium so quickly just now? Didn't you reach the outside top wall?" She asked in an attempt to divert her grim thoughts.

Kirito smiled wryly, leaning on the wall, both hands behind his head as he waited for the first-aid pack to work. "I knew we were mistaken the moment I saw the player Jyuushi X we had thought was Death Gun..."

"...Why?" She asked curiously.

"Because that player was a girl, a real girl, not like this male character of mine which looks so feminine." He answered in slight bemusement.

"At that moment, I knew that we had overlooked something very big... thinking that Death Gun could attack you, I charged straight away and slashed her when she was still introducing herself. I should probably apologize to her later…" He trailed off sheepishly.

"I took a hit, but still managed to take her down. Looking south from atop the stadium, I found you lying on the floor and Death Gun nearing you. Seeing that things were bad, I immediately grabbed the large rifle and smoke grenade Jyushi-san had dropped and jumped from the perimeter. I fired and threw the grenade and then ran towards you." Kirito finished with a shrug as if to say 'you know the rest'.

In other words, the two bullet scars on Kirito were from Jyuushi X's snipe and the L115 from Death Gun. Upon realizing that, Sinon felt as if a weight was placed upon her shoulders.

Despite the nonchalant manner in which he had told the story, Kirito had been shot twice by large caliber weapons, after defending flawlessly against assaults from fully automatic weapons since the beginning of the tournament, which showed that he hadn't even cared for his own safety in his attempts to save her.

Looking back at that situation, Sinon couldn't help but feel that she was pulling Kirito down. Even though Death Gun had an unexpected ability, Sinon should have dodged that stun bullet and even after being hit she had the opportunity to take him down, but was unable to pull the trigger.

"You don't have to be so hard on yourself." Kirito said, breaking her self-recriminating thoughts.

"I didn't notice that guy was hiding nearby too. If our roles were reversed, I would be the one who took the stun bullet. As for me saving you, in that situation you would save me too, right, Sinon?" He finished with an ever steady voice.

"I'm going then. Just rest here first, Sinon. Actually, I was really hoping that you could log out… but you can't do so during the tournament…"

Immediately lifting her face, Sinon saw that Kirito was checking his equipment as he started to move towards the door of the room where they were resting.

"…You're going after him… alone?" She asked in a hoarse voice, fear and disbelief clear on her question.

"Yeah. Even if that guy's really strong and his equipment and stats are quite a headache to deal with I can't just leave him alone. If I do that who can tell how many people he will kill, we were able to escape just now, but half of it was because of luck, others won't have that chance."

Looking at the solemn face before her, Sinon felt shock course trough her body. Ever since meeting him, Kirito always seemed so sure, so confident, and yet at that moment she had a glimpse of his insecurities, his fears.

"…Even you are scared of that guy?" She asked in a small voice.

On hearing Sinon's question, Kirito placed the light saber back onto the belt pouch and gave a bitter smile.

"Of course, it's natural to be afraid of death." He replied with a bitter smile. "I have a lot of things I want to protect now. So I can't die, I really don't want to die… But that won't hold me back. Death Gun must be stopped, and so I will stop him." He finished seriously in an even tone of voice.

'_How can he be so calm even in such a situation?' _But the moment the thought crossed her mind she immediately denied her own question in sudden realization. _'No, this has nothing to do with being calm. He just does what he can do. He doesn't try to find excuses for himself, instead choosing to fight with all he got despite the circumstances. That's… that's his real ability.'_

During the finals of the preliminaries yesterday, Sinon had asked to Kirito why if he had such ability, such strength, was he still afraid.

But now she could see that question itself was wrong. For no matter how scared, troubled, or pained he was, he could still move on. That was his real strength. To him it all summed up to the fact that he could only choose over whether he should get better or not, whether he should move or not, whether to fire or not.

With this she felt a spark of defiance surge against her weakness and fear, for while she didn't have his strength, she wanted to at least give it her all.

If she continued to hide like this, she would never believe in her own ability again. Her heart would shrink, her will would shatter, and slowly but surely, she would lose herself.

Forget about overcoming that memory, if she didn't act the real her in the real world would always worry about whether that man would appear from the shadows of the night, crawl from the gaps between the virtual and the real world to take her.

"I'm… not running away." She said softly, avoiding his gaze.

"…Eh?"

"I'm not running away. I've decided not to hide around. I want to go out and fight that guy."

"You can't Sinon. Once you get hit by that guy…you will really die. I'm not just a complete melee-type player, I also have defensive skills. You're different. Your predicament would be far more dangerous than mine if that invisible man attacks." He said in a soft voice, moving closer to her sitting form.

"It doesn't matter even if I die." She replied, her voice but a whisper.

"…Just now… I was really scared, I thought it was the end… and I couldn't do anything against it! I'm sick of being scared! I'm sick of leaving in fear! If this is my fate…If I can't fight then I might as well die!" She all but screamed her voice having growing stronger with each word she spoke.

But before she could continue a pair of small but strong arms encircled her body, shocking her into silence, a pair of arms promising understanding and protection.

Looking at his black eyes she saw they were filled with an intense determination, a fierce protectiveness that transcended mere words.

"You're wrong! Don't talk about dying with such ease, once someone dies his position in the hearts of those who care about them vanishes too!"

"It's not like I asked you to remember me! It's not like I ever hoped to have a relationship with anyone!"

"But haven't we made contact with each other?" He asked, his determined eyes looking straight into hers.

At this moment, the intense emotions that were suppressed inside Sinon's icy heart suddenly exploded. She gritted her teeth and used that other hand to grab Kirito's collar.

His words filled her with the desire of being comforted, of simply allowing herself to be held and protected. But at the same time, his naivety, his lack of knowledge about her past and assumption that everything would be alright filled her with anger and the urge to destroy everything around her, including herself.

And so, as the weakness of wanting to be comforted and the urge to be destroyed battle with each other, Sinon raised her fiery gaze and stared at Kirito's face.

"You don't know anything at all! You can't do anything, so stop acting like you know what's going on! This… this is my battle, only mine! Even if I lose, even if I die, no one has the right to lecture me! Or rather, are you going to bear this responsibility with me? Can you…"

Slowly raising and shaking of his arms Sinon focused her gaze on her hands. Her hands that to this day remained stained in blood, no matter what she did.

Memories were brought forward from her mind, memories of curses and despair, of isolation and self loathing. She could hear the taunts, 'Don't touch it, you murderer! You'll stain it with blood!', 'Stay away you Freak!', the curses that always followed her, no matter what she did, no matter what she tried, until finally she stopped trying, stopped caring, never allowing anyone to come close, never allowing anyone to touch her.

"Can you… Can you hold this hand that has killed someone before?!"

As she shouted the words her hands curled into fists and started to repeatedly hit Kirito in the chest, every strike draining a small sliver of his health and yet he made no move to get away or defend himself.

She could feel a strange wet warmness in her cheeks, realizing she was crying Sinon lowered her head until it was resting against his chest.

Fighting off the crying sounds that escaped through her clenched teeth Sinon felt lost, for she couldn't even remember the last time she had cried.

Kirito rested his hands into her shoulders, his eyes warm with acceptance, nothing but understanding in his gaze.

"Why… why are you...?" She trailed off, her tears finally went dry as she rested against the swordsman slender body, a feeling of weakness permeating her entire being as if her soul had been scattered.

"I… I've killed someone before." She said softly, continuing without waiting for Kirito's response, "Not in the game… but in the real world. I really killed someone. During a robbery that happened in the suburb in the northeast five years ago… The culprit was threatening my mother… I interfered… snatched his gun… and shot him."

"I was eleven then… afterwards I had two broken teeth, two sprains on the arms, a back injury and a dislocation of the right shoulder, but that was not important. The damage my body took could be healed… but there was a place that couldn't be healed… no matter how much time passed."

"After that, I would vomit or faint at the mere sight of a gun. Even on the TV, or in a manga… even a fake pistol was enough to do it. Once it happens… my mind immediately remembers the face of that guy I killed..."

"But it's alright in this world. The relapse wouldn't happen… and I even liked…" She trailed off, her eyes moving towards the elegant figure of her gun, Hecate,"…A few guns. So I felt that if I became the strongest in this world, I would become strong in the real world as well and could forget about those memories… but… when Death Gun attacked just now… It was as if everything I did up till now was for nothing… so I have to fight with that guy… even if I can't fight, I have to face him… for if I can't beat him… Sinon will vanish."

"Of course I'm scared of death. But… but if I continue to live in fear, it will be worse than death. If I run away without fighting against Death Gun and those memories, I will definitely become weaker than before, and I will never be able to live an ordinary life again. So… so…" She finished, lowering into the ground and hugging her own body tightly.

Sitting there, in the stifling silence that followed, Sinon wondered why she had said those words, opening her heart to another for the first time since the incident. But before she could think about it, the silence was broken by a small pained voice.

"I… I have also killed people." He said quietly, voice pained but even. "…I did mention it before, right? That mantle guy and I… Death Gun and I, we met in another game before, a game called Sword Art Online."

Hearing the confirmation to her speculations, Sinon looked into the petit swordsman who was once again leaning against the wall right next to her, his pained eyes focused inwards in remembrance.

"Both of us fought each other with the clear intention to kill. He was part of a Red guild called Laughing Coffin. In SAO there were designate color codes for the criminals, thieves were Orange Players, and thief guilds would be Orange Guilds... but amongst them, those who… reveled in killing… were called Red Guilds."

"But...in that game, wouldn't it mean real death if your HP becomes zero...?" Sinon asked, shocked by the fact there would be those who would do such a thing.

"That's right, but they killed because of that reason...to certain players, killing was their greatest pleasure. Laughing Coffin was such a group. They killed other players in unprotected areas or mazes, taking their money and equipment before killing them mercilessly. Of course, the ordinary players started to be wary of them, but these people still continued to think of new ways to kill, causing the number of victims to continue to rise."

"Eventually the players formed a mass crusade to stop them, and I was a part of that group. We found their base and attacked, intending to trap and imprison them so that they could no longer cause harm, but somehow the information was leaked and they were waiting for us, and in that chaotic battle I personally took away two of their lives, to protect both myself and those dear to me."

"I only planned to lock them inside jail, but I forgot all about it and just lost myself...but that is just an excuse. If I really wanted to, I could have definitely stopped my sword...but I could only continue to swing it in fear and anger… and to be honest, months afterwards I did it again to protect someone dear to me from one of their surviving members."

"...Then, Death Gun's part of that group you fought against...Laughing Coffin..." Sinon asked in a small voice.

"Yes. He should be one of the members who survived the raid and was locked up by us. I still remember his presence and how he spoke. Just a little...a little more and I can remember his name back then, allowing me and some others to take care of him in the real world before he hurts anyone else."

Looking at his silent form that was resting at her side, eyes closed as if in a trance, Sinon remembered the question he had asked her yesterday.

'_If that gun's bullet would really kill your opponent, and if you did not shoot, yourself or someone precious to you would die. Would you pull the trigger?'_

Now she could fully understand his question, and was shocked by the similarities in their pasts. Rising to her feet she rested an arm on his shoulder, breaking his trance like state.

"Kirito...I can't judge what you did in the past...and I don't have the right to either. And I know I don't have the right to ask this...but please tell me...how did you overcome those memories? How did you beat them? How did you become so strong...?" She asked despite knowing it was a cruel and selfish thing to ask to someone who had just revealed his own guilt to her.

Kirito blinked, once, twice, thrice, before looking at her with a painfully understanding look, a biter smile on his face.

"I didn't overcome them." He replied simply, shocking her into silence.

"Last night I continuously remembered their deaths, the battles involved and their faces before dying. Honestly speaking, I don't think I will ever forget those moments, their faces, expressions and last words."

Staring blankly at him, Sinon wondered if that meant that all her hard work had been for naught. She wondered if even if she did defeat Death Gun, she would simply continue to live in the darkness.

'_Is this it? Am I simply going to keep on living like this?'_ She thought in despair.

But her thoughts were stopped as Kirito moved his right hand and covered one of Sinon's hands that were grabbing his shoulders, his eyes once again understanding.

"However, Sinon I feel that is not about overcoming those memoires, but accepting them. Accepting the fact that I did that, I personally slayed those lives with my own hands...I should accept them directly, consider the significance and seriousness of those sins. But not allow them to chain me down, for in the end I know that those actions, those sins… they had meaning."

"No matter how you try to distance yourself from it, the past will never disappear, and our memories will never really vanish. Even so...we can only face it head-on and work hard so that we can one day accept it."

He looked her straight in the eyes, a small smile on his face.

"I know it's hard and painful, but it's the only way to move forward. And Sinon, before you said you couldn't fight anymore, but that's not true, in the end the truth is, there is no one who can't fight, there are only those who give up fighting!"

Her first reaction at his words was incredulity, a feeling that was only intensified be the honest look he was sporting. And yet his words resounded deeply within her, rekindling a small flame that had laid nearly forgotten for years deep within her soul.

And even as her fears and worries tried to force her to doubt his words, that small flame kept growing, roaring her defiance.

'_You are completely crazy Kirito. So I wonder what that tells about my own sanity that I'm listening to you?' _She thought, the faintest of smiles on her lips as she slowly got Hecate off the ground and re-holstered it on her back.

"So I guess that means we will just have to try to take him down again, right?"

"…But…if you're hit by that gun…" Kirito tried to interject.

"That thing is just an old single action handgun, you can block it easily." Sinon said forcing her voice to remain firm, stopping her hands from shaking as the image of that particular handgun crossed her mind.

"And besides, I'm already his target. It's 9:40 now and the next scan will happen in five minutes. The moment it happens he will seek me out, so let's use that to our advantage."

Sinon could barely believe her own words, fear and doubt were surrounding her heart, making her hesitate and wish to give up. But Hecate's coldness in her back, slowly permeating her entire being, gave her the strength to keep going.

'_I have to do this.' _She realized, a sudden feeling of finality and purpose rooting itself in her heart. _'No matter the outcome, I have to do this.'_

Her fear hadn't disappeared. Point in fact it was stronger than ever. But she knew, deep within herself, that this was the only option, her only choice if she desired to move forward.

"For all we know his accomplice could be in my room at this very moment. So the only chance I got is to take him down first." She finished, looking into his eyes in defiance despite her fears and doubts.

Kirito kept her gaze, as if evaluating her very soul, before nodding solemnly his agreement.

"Very well Sinon, but know this. No matter what, I'm not letting you die." He said as if merely stating a fact, an immutable truth that simply was and would always be.

Fighting down a small blush Sinon nodded her appreciation before starting her plan.

"Alright, this is what we are going to do. Near here, going to the north there is an overpass…"

* * *

Standing at the very middle of the overpass that crossed the northern part of the ruined city Sinon looked at her watch, 9:44, she had one minute until the scan.

The area was crisscrossed by small bridges and catwalks going between the buildings that formed a valley like pass to outside the city, forming a web-like maze around her, granting cover while simultaneously not hindering sight.

It was an excellent point to snipe, or to be sniped.

But the most important fact was that, in this particular battlefield, regardless of where he were to chose to hid himself, Death Gun would have to enter the valley of buildings to aim at her or risk exposing himself at the deserts to the north, were his metamaterial cape would not be able to fully hide him due to the shifting sands.

Her plan was not without risk, they knew that Death Gun would unlikely go after her with Kirito by her side, so he was over seven hundred meters away near the top of a building far away from the valley.

The distance was too great to be crossed quickly, and would give Death Gun a sense of security, making it look like Kirito was searching for him inside the city while she was attempting to escape from it.

But while that would probably draw Death Gun towards her, it would also leave her exposed, with no way for Kirito to get to her in time. That is, if it wasn't for a particular slope near Kirito's location.

Sinon could remember the scene from the first BoB tournament. How one player, frantically trying to shake of his pursuer had stumble upon that slope, that extremely steep and long slope.

The scene of that unfortunate player tumbling down uncontrollably in the nearly seventy degrees slope for the more of five hundred meters of its length, before finally plummeting to his death near the entrance of the valley of buildings that lead to the desert area to the north had been one of the funniest sights of the year, but now that knowledge could very well save her life.

If Kirito were to go down it, he would have a straight, gravity assisted path right towards Death Gun. It would probably allow him to cross the seven hundred meters distance between them in less than a minute… if he could survive the path of course.

'_Times up.'_ Sinon thought, looking at the scan that had just started.

Quickly scanning the map, Sinon saw there were only three players on display, four counting Death Gun who was probably hidden under his mantle. Making a count of the downed players she couldn't contain a shiver from crossing down her spine. There were only twenty seven people on the map, twenty eight counting Death Gun, meaning that he had taken down another player during the course of the tournament.

Sinon could feel the weight of her decision, the knowledge that failure could mean her own death.

'…_Can the me right now really do this?' _She grimly thought closing her eyes, fear and doubt creeping through her soul, sapping her will and weakening her resolve.

But before she could start questioning herself, she felt Hecate's coldness entering her being, fighting her doubt, crushing her fear.

Opening her eyes she looked to the sky, glimpsing the full moon that was shining her light down into the wastelands despite the ever present clouds of dust that were obscuring the very stars.

'_I have to do this.'_ She decided, ignoring her fear and doubt before focusing on the plan.

Their opponents were Death Gun and Yamikaze, Death Gun should be somewhere in the central city, and moving towards her position. Yamikaze was in the northern desert and with the scan would probably rush directly to the city, entering the pass where she was from the north.

Yamikaze would be a tricky opponent being a super AGI boost type known for his style of always running at top speeds while firing his extremely light submachine gun Calico M900A.

He had achieved the second place in the last tournament, but many would say that Yamikaze's skills were greater than Zekushiido, who had won only thanks to his extremely rare equipment and weapons.

After drawing out Death Gun she would have to take Yamikaze out before he could interfere in the fight between Kirito and Death Gun. But that was a secondary concern, Yamikaze being still minutes away from her position.

Taking a deep breath Sinon started to scan the best snipe positions that Death Gun could use, for while he may be able to hide his form, she knew all the strengths and weakness a sniper must face, and how to counter them.

She knew she had to avoid his first strike, for if she were to be stunned, Death Gun still might be able to finish her off before Kirito could arrive.

Straining her senses she waited, preparing her body to react at the smallest sign of attack.

'_This is it.'_ She suddenly realized, everything she had strived for, all the hardships she had faced, were all coming to a conclusion here, all due to the meddling interference of a clueless swordsman.

Before she could think more about her strange friend, she felt it, a strange feeling running through her body, a sensation that was beyond mere words, an urge, screaming at her to move, and so she did.

Throwing herself to the side and out of the overpass Sinon saw a blue spark shooting straight through the spot she had just been occupying, missing her body by mere inches.

Turning around as gravity started to take its hold she drew Hecate to bare, her eyes searching through the scope for her hidden assailant as the world around her seemed to slow to a halt.

In a moment that seemed to last an eternity, she scanned the area until finally finding a reflection of light, the scope and muzzle of the rifle appearing as if from thin air in a catwalk near the pass entrance.

'_Perfect.'_ She thought, quickly choosing her target and pressing the trigger, unleashing all her fear, all her doubt, in a storm of fire, as death in a crystallized form sailed towards the small speck of light that was her opponent.

Back-flipping her body in order hit the bridge below her with her feet, Sinon watched as Hecate's bullet hit the mark, finding the gun muzzle and tearing through it as if a vengeful god striking down those who dared defy him, destroying the weapon in a shower of sparks and making Death Gun release it and step back in shock, forsaking the cover of his mantle.

Looking upwards she saw Kirito jumping out of the slope at a tremendous speed, light saber ablaze and ready to strike down his opponent.

Staring in surprise Sinon watched as Death Gun dodge Kirito's charging form in a impressive display of skill and reflexes, before drawing a thin metallic object from his mantle, a eighty centimeter length metal cylinder that narrow down to a needle like point.

Readying his needle like weapon, Death Gun charged at his sword wielding opponent who was trying to regain his balance from the fall.

Sidestepping the thrust Kirito retaliated with a lightning fast strike from his sword, which was promptly blocked by his opponent strange weapon despite the speed of the strike.

For a moment she simply stood there, transfixed by the scene in front of her, of the deathly dance the two enemies were performing, a dance of dodges and parries, attacks and counters, all done with blinding speeds and where the smallest of mistakes could mean death.

Shaking herself from her trance Sinon quickly turned around to face the desert. For the moment Kirito would have to handle Death Gun, she had her own prey to hunt.

* * *

Dodging a series of lightning fast thrusts Kirito attempted an over headed slash to take down his opponent, who blocked the strike with ease.

Inwardly cursing the absolute lack of weight his light saber had, he dodged his opponent counter strike before replying in kind with a chain of fast swings at his torso.

He had never truly realized how dependent his fighting style was to the weight of his swords. He could see how the lack of the weight in his weapon was throwing off the timing of his attacks and reducing the strength of his swings. Truthfully, when fighting against ordinary players the difference was nearly insignificant, but now, facing a high level player, a true swordsman, it showed itself clearly as a weakness that could jeopardize his chances of victory.

Sidestepping a perfectly replicated Star-Splash sword skill and answering in kind with an Horizontal-Square Kirito watched as Death Gun jumped backwards avoiding his blade.

"That skill, that feeling. You truly are, the real one." Death Gun said in his halting metallic voice, an impossible happiness tingeing his tone. "Come, lets continue our battle, for after this, I'll definitely, kill you finally."

'_That manner of speech, that presence and those eyes that let out a red glow from under the hood, not to mention that weapon.' _Kirito thought, the memory of the SAO player nearing his grasp as he raised his weapon into a ready stance.

Charging forward he watched Death Gun gracefully lower himself into his own ready stance, his uniquely shaped sword ready to stab through his body.

Diverting the blindingly fast stab Kirito started once again their dance of swords, each of his strikes being either blocked or dodged just as each of his opponents stabs was either diverted or sidestepped.

He could remember their battle in that forsaken field, he could remember an opponent with eyes that seemed to glow from beneath his hood, an opponent that wielded an rare kind of sword, an Estoc.

An Estoc, a variation of the long sword designed for fighting against mail or plate armor, a long bladeless sword that forsake the ability to cut for unbelievable piercing power. A sword that could launch lightning fast stabs with practically no preparatory movement.

Eyes fixed on the needle like edge of his opponent sword, that was swaying like to a rhythm only it's wielder could hear, he tried to remember at the same time as he prepared to avoid his opponents next barrage.

Pushing against the ground he avoided his opponent lunging form, a flash of metal grazing past his arm as he barely avoided an unbelievably fast Vorpal-Strike.

"To think your skills, would decay so much. Even if you, are using that toy, is this truly, all of your power?" Death Gun mockingly asked, his skull like mask appearing to laugh at his form.

Taking advantage of his opponent's distraction as he taunted his weapon, Kirito surged forward, blade a blur of light, scoring a deep slash in his opponent chest before he could disengage with a quick counter.

"It's not a toy, a sword is a sword. As long as it can hack at your HP, that's enough."

"Kukuku, so Black Swordsman, despite forsaking, your true self, weakening yourself, in the real world, you still posses, some strength." He replied in delight, the wound appearing to only raise his excitement.

"Real self? Do you think we are still in SAO? That you are still a member of Laughing Coffin?" Kirito asked in disbelief.

Shaking his head in apparent sadness at his question Death Gun raised from his half crouched stance, his arm moving slightly to the side revealing his Laughing Coffin Tattoo.

"How utterly sad, to think one, who once had such might, such potential, would forsake it all, for his pathetic, little existence." He said, opening his arms as if to encompass the world, his halting voice tinged with bloodlust and madness. "We have transcended, that pathetic existence, we have been reborn, as our true selves. Come, Black Swordsman, fall by my sword, so I may destroy, that which you protect, and know that, you shall be next."

With those words he darted forward, the eyes of his mask gleaming crimson with madness, Estoc by his side and ready to pierce straight through Kirito's avatar.

Dodging and blocking his opponents furious onslaught Kirito couldn't avoid but to receive small injuries due to the unfamiliar blade in his hands. But even amidst the storm of thrusts, a fact refused to leave his mind.

His opponents glide like movements and furious attacks; he could see it in his mind, the memory he needed, a desperate battle, alongside a name shouted in anger in that blood soaked battlefield as he opponent retreated from his blade, a name accompanied by a promise of vengeance.

"Xaxa, 'Red eyed' Xaxa." He muttered in realization.

The moment of realization, while being exactly what he had been searching for since the very start of the tournament, had cost him dearly. For in that moment of distraction, his opponent's sword passed through his defenses sinking deep into his right shoulder.

Fighting back a cry of surprise Kirito jumped backwards, passing his sword to his left hand as he felt his strength leaving his right arm due to the location and type of injury he had suffered.

"So you remember, but in the end, that changes nothing." Xaxa said, charging straight after Kirito, refusing to allow him time to recover.

Frantically blocking his opponent's strikes with his left hand, while watching his health drop lower and lower Kirito realized his mistake. He had been complacent due to the knowledge that his body was safe, he hadn't paid the proper attention to this battle as he would normally apply had this been a life or death situation.

His opponent was still in the Death Game, fighting each battle as if it could end with his demise, while he had had left it behind, in both mind and body, and now was paying the price.

Retaliating after barely deflecting a fierce stab to his heart, he analyzed his chances. His health was low and dropping at a steady pace, but Xaxa's health was also bordering the red zone. One single clear heavy strike was all he needed to drop him.

But his opponent was far too skillful to allow such a strike to connect without some kind of opening. And now with his unfamiliarity with the blade he was wielding being summed to the loss of his right arm, his chances of creating such an opening were dropping by the second.

One moment, one single moment of hesitation, the slightest of openings, that was all he would need to deliver a heavy enough strike to end this battle, and yet was unable to create said opening.

And yet, just as everything appeared to be lost, it happened.

A single red line appeared, pointing straight through his opponent's chest, who immediately dropped low to avoid the bullet that would follow, a bullet that was not there.

Even if he couldn't see his face, Kirito could feel Xaxa's anger at the realization of what had happened, at falling for the decoy Sinon had provided, for in such a fast paced close combat fight she would not shot for danger of hitting Kirito, and he knew it even as his instincts forced him to stop his onslaught for a single moment to dodge, a moment he couldn't afford.

For in that single moment, when his instincts had taken over before he could rationalize what was truly happening and forced him to drop low to avoid an attack that was not there, as he dodged that phantom bullet, he had opened his guard.

And that opening was all Kirito needed.

Charging forward he put all his weight on his blade, with a circular motion he slashed across his opponent's chest before twirling in place, keeping the motion the blade had started and delivering all the power that his body could carry in the subsequent slash to his back.

Standing in place after executing an attack that was a perfect replica of the sword skill Double-Circular, Kirito watched as Xaxa's health dropped to zero and his avatar fell to the ground.

"You think, you won…It's not, over, this is only, the beginning…" He said as his avatar laid in the ground, his eyes locked on Kirito's face. "You cannot, protect her… not in the re…" He attempted to continue before his 'dead' status stopped him from speaking.

Turning around his battered body, he watched as a form approached him through the catwalks. Sniper rifle resting on her shoulders, clothes tattered and worn and a smile on her face, Sinon calmly approached him.

'"So it's over…" She said stopping at his side the moonlight highlighting the small smile on her face.

"The danger of this tournament's finally over. Death Gun was taken down, so the accomplice who was preparing to kill you should have left. Their aim probably was to create the rumor that those players who were shot by that black handgun in GGO would die in the real world as well, so they probably won't kill people at random, but even so we better make sure nothing will happen to you, just to be safe." He said, thinking about the words Xaxa had attempted to say.

"What do you suggest? It's not like the police is going to believe this if I call them and send a patrol car to my apartment." Sinon replied.

"You're right…" Kirito agreed, while simultaneously thinking that involving the police wouldn't be a good idea, he and Argo would have to do it themselves. "I'm going to contact my associate, so we can get her to help…but I can't just ask for your address and name…" He said with hesitation knowing how rude it was to ask for someone else's real identity in a VRMMO.

"Alright. Let me tell you." Sinon agreed easily enough after a moment of contemplation.

"Eh… but…"

"I just feel that there's no need to worry about this anymore. Besides…I already took the initiative to tell you my past. Something I had never done before…" She finished in a small voice, causing Kirito to widen his eyes for a moment before a smile appeared on his face.

"That's true…speaking of which, I was the same too…" He said rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"My name is Asada Shino. The address is Tokyo District, Bunkyo, Yushima, Yonchome…"

"Yushima? That's a coincidence; I dived in from Ochinomizu in Chiyoda." He said, happy that he would be able to reach her in a matter of minutes."Then I'll just log out and go off to find you… By the way, my name is Kirigaya Kazuto.

Sharing a smile with the fierce sniper he had befriended Kirito decided it was time to end the tournament.

"We can only log out by putting BoB to an end, so how about it, Sinon? Do you want to have a duel, just like yesterday?"

She merely smiled at his question, turning her gaze to the full moon shining above them, her face serene. "…Strength's not an outcome…but a process of working hard…" She said in a barely audible whisper.

"Eh? Sinon?" He asked curiously.

"Un, it's nothing. There is no point in fighting you now. You're completely wounded all over, and your health is practically gone, right? There's nothing to be proud about winning against you like this. Let's just leave that duel for the next BoB tournament." She said with a teasing smile, lowering her gaze to look at his face.

"Are you saying that I can't convert back to my old game before the 4th tournament?" Kirito joked, a wry smile on his face.

"You can convert back and then convert here again, but don't think that you can beat me the next time! Then, I guess it's time to end the third tournament."

"How do we do this? This is a battle royal, so there should be a winner decided when one person's HP is zero, right?"

"It's rare, but I heard that the first BoB in North America was won by two people. The reason was that the person who should have won accidentally got an underhanded trick called a 'Gift Grenade'."

"Gift Grenade? What's that?" He asked in confusion.

"It's an tactic in which the losing player will throw a grenade right next to himself and his opponent to drag the enemy down with him. Oh, by the way, here, this is for you." She finished her explanation, a kind smile on her face as her right hand moved into her pouch before going forward to give him the object she had just grabbed.

Reaching out in reflex, Kirito grabbed the round object with curiosity, immediately turning it around to see what it was.

His eyes widening upon recognizing what was on his hand, Kirito prepared to toss it aside. But in a sudden movement, Sinon's hand grabbed his own, trapping the grenade between their palms.

"You better keep your promise. See you in real like Kazuto-san." Sinon said, smile still into place as the timer of her little gift reached zero, detonating the plasma grenade trapped between them and enveloping them in a ball of flames.

* * *

Waking up in her room, Sinon was immediately on alert, for though the tournament was over, the situation with Death Gun wasn't.

Death Gun's accomplice could very well still be near her in the real world. And even though Kirito said that help would arrive soon, his log out time would was the same as hers, which, alongside the fact he would need to first contact his associate meant it would be a while before any help could arrive, meaning she would have to protect herself.

Immediately checking to see if there was anyone in her apartment she let out a sigh of relief upon noticing that there were no interlopers.

For a split moment she thought to doubt Kirito's worries, but the moment the thought started to form she mercilessly crushed it.

She knew he had said nothing but the truth to her, her instincts were sure of that. Death Gun's actions and the two missing names at the tournament placement screen only solidified that.

Before she could think anything more about this, a loud knock on her door halted her into place.

Body tense she turned towards her door, until the familiar voice from the other side relaxed her tense muscles.

"Asada-san, are you alright? Let me in." Shinkawa Kyouji's said from behind the door, knocking on it once again.

Shaking her head at the antics of her old ally, she went to answer the door, wondering what he could possibly want at this hour of the night.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Sinon and Kirito bonding was one of my favorite parts in Canon. Their similar pasts and traumas are very fertile grounds for developing the plot. Also hope you enjoyed the battle and the chapter as a whole, I at least enjoyed writing them!

I wonder if anyone noticed the small influence of Sinon unknown encouragement to Kirito from the preliminaries had on his own speech to Sinon? Or about the hints that Death Gun/ Red eyed Xaxa dropped on his talk with Kirito?

Next chapter will bring this arc to a close; I'm already working on it, and must say that I'm quite proud about the ideas in it. It will be an awesome climax, look forward to it!

In a completely separate note, I just couldn't get the music 'Blaze of Glory', by Bon Jovi, from my mind as I worked on this chapter. That song is so fitting to both the GGO arc as a whole and Sinon specifically!

For those of you that are curious about the** Estoc:**

"The Estoc was a type of European sword in use from the 14th to 17th centuries, characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for two handed use and a straight, edgeless, but sharply pointed blade of around 0.91 meters (36 inches) to 1.32 meters (52 inches) long that normally took an conical or even hexagonal shape that ended in a needle like point."

"The French word estoc translates as 'to thrust'; many consider the Estoc as a forerunner of the rapier. But the Estoc was an effective weapon despite its lack of a bladed edge, being able to pierce most kinds of armor. The long, straight blade was very rigid and could be thrust with one hand, or the second hand could be used to deliver an even more powerful thrust."

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	15. Chapter 15 - Shadow of the Moon

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, this brings the GGO arc to a close; I hope to have managed to deliver a satisfactory climax to the arc. Personally I'm quite happy with it, for some of the actions in it will start ripple effects that will be felt throughout the rest of the series.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Shadow of the Moon**

Slowly blinking his eyes Kirito took over the ceiling of the hospital room where he had been diving into GGO as he regained consciousness.

Pushing himself upwards he removed the AmuSphere that was resting on his head while simultaneously removing the few sensors that had been monitoring his health. Turning around he got to his feat, ready to rush out of the hospital in order to fulfill his promise to his unexpected new friend, Asada Shino, the sniper Sinon.

'_Got to act fast, there is no way I'll let Laughing Coffin make another victim. I have to stop them.' _He grimly thought, Xaxa's words still fresh in his mind

But before he could so much as take a single step forward a sudden blow was delivered against his gut forcing him to double over and sit back into the bed he had just vacated despite his [Rook] strength.

Gasping for breath he followed the surprisingly small fist that was slowly retreating from his stomach until looking into the eyes of a very unimpressed looking Koneko.

"…Idiot." The petit [Rook] said, a tinge of annoyance entering her normally impassive voice and a flick of worry in her eyes.

"Papa, you shouldn't do such things without informing us!" Yui berated him with annoyance, her small fairy form hovering inches away from his surprised face. "Going after a Stray Devil and his associates by yourself! What if something had happened? What if you had gotten hurt?"

Upon hearing those question and looking at the clearly worried looks both Koneko and Yui were sporting Kirito couldn't help but flinch. Even if in the end it had worked, he couldn't deny he might have taken some unnecessary risks and that it really hadn't been his best idea.

"Kirito-kun." A sickeningly sweet voice said from his side, cutting off any response he could have mustered.

Slowly turning his head in dread he looked at the owner of the voice. Standing close to the windows, right next to an unconscious nurse Aki, stood Asuna. A saccharine smile on her face and her eyes half close in a deceptively serene expression.

Feeling a shiver go down his spine he watched as his wife slowly approached, both Koneko and Yui immediately retreating to give her a clear line of sight towards him.

"Please explain to me Kirito-kun, what exactly where you thinking when you decided to pull this little stunt?" She asked, her voice still in that impossibly sweet tone as her hand moved forward to lightly grab his shoulder.

"Asuna… You see…" He tried to say, searching for a way to reasonably explain his actions.

"Yes, Kirito-kun?" Asuna replied with her smile still firmly into place as she opened her eyes, grounding him into place with a glare that could put the Gleameyes to shame.

'_I'm so dead.'_ Was the only thought Kirito could manage for a moment as he realized exactly how pissed his wife was from his not so secret actions regarding the current situation.

But after cringing for a moment at the situation at hand he immediately remembered there was a far more serious matter than his impending doom, a matter that could not be postponed.

"Asuna I know that I screwed up and should have said what was really happening, but now is not the time to talk about it." He said looking her into the eyes, trying to convey the seriousness of his words. "Laughing Coffin is still active and are receiving help from a Stray Devil and I believe they are about to target a player I met in the tournament."

Seeing the startled looked Asuna was sporting Kirito pressed on, knowing they had no time to waste, Xaxa's words ringing in his ears.

"Death Gun last words after I defeated him in the tournament make me think that he is going to attack Asada Shino, the sniper that helped me in the tournament, we have to go protect her."

A long silence followed as Asuna stared deeply into his eyes, as if searching his very soul, until the fake smile and kind expression disappeared from her face and being immediately replaced with a mask of steel.

"Where?" She asked, not wasting any time with superfluous questions.

"She lives in Tokyo district Bunkyo, Yushima, Yonchome, it's a ten minute walk from here, but if we fly we should get there in two. There is no time to waste for if they were truly planning to kill her during the tournament the Stray Devil may very well already be there!"

"Very well, don't think you are off the hook just yet but you are right we shouldn't delay." She acknowledge, her hand leaving his shoulder as she turned towards Yui.

"Yui, can you do something to the hospital surveillance cameras so we can leave trough the windows?"

"Of course Mama! Do you want me to also notify Klein and the others about where we are going?" Yui asked, already hacking into the hospital security system.

"Yes, thank you; tell them to meet us there." Turning towards Koneko she immediately received a single nod that conveyed everything that needed to be said, that she would follow and help no matter what.

"Klein? What does he has to do with any of this?" Kirito asked in confusion.

"You said it yourself Kirito, we have no time to lose. Short version, Klein, Lizbeth and Silica are now in Argo's Peerage. Now let's go!"

And with those words she pulled him towards the window before jumping and taking flight with Yui resting on her shoulders, being swiftly followed by Koneko.

Shaking his head he followed after them, knowing she was right and that time was of the essence, he had a promise to keep and he would be damned before allowing another innocent to be hurt when he had the power to prevent it.

His mind completely focused on the task at hand as they flew directly towards their destination he completely missed the door of his room opening. Nor did he notice as a young girl with short black hair and dark grey eyes entered before swiftly moving towards the recently vacated window, disbelief clear in her eyes as she watched them fly into the distance.

* * *

"Congratulations at becoming the BoB champion Asada-san. "Shinkawa Kyouji said as he entered her apartment, a smile fixed on his face. "You finally became the strongest player of GGO, but them again I knew Asada-san could do it, because Asada-san has strength like no other."

Shaking her head in slight embarrassment at her old ally antics Sinon took a seat next to her bed before answering.

"Thanks, but there were two winners this time, not to mention that if you saw the live telecast you should have notice that there were a lot of unnatural happenings in the tournament. It wouldn't surprise me if this BoB was invalidated, but even if it isn't it's not a big deal."

She was surprised that she truly meant what she had just said; to be the strongest player in GGO, the goal she been obsessed with for months now seemed utterly irrelevant, a passing fancy that had no effect on her one way or the other.

'_I guess I owe you for showing me what strength truly is Kirito.' _She thought with a small smile.

Kyouji smile disappeared for a moment as a flash of something darted thought his eyes, but before Sinon could truly see it he was smiling once again his features calm and undisturbed.

"Ah well, I was watching the tournament from my hand phone in the park near here so that I could be the first to congratulate you."

"You got to stop doing these random things Shinkawa-kun." She said in jest, not noticing the small flinch her words had provoked. "Would you like something to drink? I have some tea…"

But before she could continue a strong hand grabbed her arm. Looking at Kyouji's face she saw the smile was nowhere to be seen as he gazed at her intensely with a strange glint in his eyes.

"Asada-san I saw your interactions with that player. The way you two acted together." He said with a hoarse voice as he approached her. "He threatened you didn't he? That is why you helped him right? That's why you two were so close right?"

Brought aback by his the sudden questions and strange actions Sinon thought of how to answer.

"No Shinkawa-kun, he didn't threaten me. He may infuriate me in some occasions, but during that whole mess… You could say that he really helped me out there. He is… he is a friend."

"But… Asada-san, you don't… have feelings for him do you? It was just because you relapse right?" He asked in a frenzied tone, tightening the hold on her arm. "Asada-san, you said that I could wait for you right? You said that, if I wait you would be mine!"

Taken aback Sinon remembered the conversation he was talking about. However what she had meant was that if he waited until she had defeated her demons she would become an ordinary girl once again, someone who could answer to his friendship, nothing more.

"Shinkawa-kun…" She started, sadness in her voice, but before she could continue she was immediately stopped by his frantic voice.

"Say it! Forget that guy! You are the champion now; you won't relapse again so you don't need that guy!"

"Shinkawa-kun… Stop it." She said as she felt his hold on her arm tighten up painfully.

"I'll be with you always! The tournament is over so there is no reason for the others to go after you, I'll protect you!" He continued ignoring her completely, a crazed glint in his eyes as he leaned forward towards her.

"Asada-san… I love you. I love you. My Asada-san… My Sinon."

"Stop it!" She shouted, placing her legs between them, feet on his chest, and pushing him away, finally freeing her arm from his hold.

Standing up as she massaged her arm she looked at him. The person she had once considered to be her only ally in this hostile world.

Kyouji was standing in the middle of the apartment, a lost look on his face as if he couldn't understand what had just happened.

"That won't do Asada-san. You can't betray me! I'm the only one that can save Asada-san! The others want to kill you but I won't let them! You are mine!" He said in a hollow voice, his crazed eyes locked onto hers.

Even through the shock she was feeling at his actions a few words had stuck into her mind, words that brought a feeling of dread into her being.

'_Others… Kill her… Shinkawa-kun what have you done?' _ She thought, realizing there could be another motive for him to have been waiting so near her home as he watched the live feed from the tournament.

Her thoughts were brought to a halt as Kyouji stood up, his hand going into his jacket as he kept his crazed eyes fixed on her.

"You are mine Asada-san. I can convince them, our leader can allow you to ascend and become one of us so that we can be together."He nearly shouted in ecstatic glee as he drew a pistol from the depths of his jacket.

A pistol that confirmed all of Sinon's fears and brought her world to a halt, a pistol that she had seen recently in both her nightmares an in the tournament she had just exited.

She could feel her breath quicken and her muscles tense as he pointed the pistol towards her. Black spots danced on her vision as the world dimed until only the pistol and the one handling it remained.

For in his hands was none other than a type 54 pistol, a Blackstar.

"Shinkawa-kun… You're working with Death Gun? Why?" She whispered eyes locked into the gun that had attempted to end her life less than an hour ago.

"Amazing, but then again I should expect no less from Asada-san." He replied, an impossibly pleased expression on his face. "You ask me why I'm working with Death Gun and the others? They showed me the truth of course, that there is more than this pathetic existence we live in and that we could transcend the foolish rules that bind us! And besides, why shouldn't I help my big brother?"

"Brother? The one who joined the red guild in SAO… was your brother?" She asked, fighting to control her breathing.

"Incredible Asada-san, so you know even that? Shoichi nii-sama said that much in the tournament? Well I guess it's not surprising he would admire Asada-san enough to tell you that." He replied, his expression locked into one of bliss and his eyes shining with madness. "But don't worry Asada-san, now that the tournament is over I won't allow anyone else to touch you not even Nii-sama."

"My Asada-san… so strong, so fierce… so amazing… someone with real strength…" He said in a dream like state, his free hand gently caressing Sinon's hair. "Someone capable of ending a life in the real world… someone with real power…"

Upon hearing those words Sinon went completely still, a sick feeling welling in the pit of her stomach.

"So you only approached me… because of the incident?"

"Of course! To meet someone with such power, someone capable of ending a life… That's really amazing Asada-san! Why do you think I choose the Blackstar to be DeathGun's weapon? Asada-san is the one I admire the most!"

Looking at the glazed eyes of the person she had believed to know, of the ally she had believe she could trust, Sinon could only see the madness within, a madness born of despise and desperation, grown and nurtured until it finally blossomed into something poisonous and deadly.

She could feel despair and hopelessness taking over her body, her legs loosing strength as Shinkawa slowly leaned forward, the gun held firmly in his hand as he pushed her against the bed.

She could feel her senses diming, her awareness retreating, as her very soul seamed to shrink into her body in face of all the unfairness of her life.

A life of isolation and sorrow, with a dead father and a sickly mother that couldn't take care of her, a life where everyone looked at her with either scorn or contempt for the mere action of trying to protect someone she loved.

And after all that, all the unfairness she had already suffered, the world was still not content. Attempting to end her very life by the hands of one of the last few she had trusted.

Closing her eyes as she felt Shinkawa press her against the bed she readied herself to simply fall into the abyss and disappear.

But as she was about to resign herself to her fate, a simple thought crossed her mind as if forced by that small part of her soul that refused to be extinguished.

'_If it was that guy, what would he do in this situation?'_

That guy who had been trapped for two years in a world of death and slaughter, of pain and sorrow. That guy who like her had stained his hands to protect his loved ones, the ones that truly mattered.

She knew he wouldn't resign himself that he wouldn't falter. No matter what trials he would have to face, what obstacles he would have to overcome. He wouldn't stop, for stopping would be abandoning the responsibility he had and he would never allow that to happen.

'_You are truly strong Kirito.'_

And so, as her thoughts went to the strange friend who had attempted to save her from her despair, amidst the ever encompassing darkness that was trying to engulf her very soul, she felt that small flame that had been rekindled roar it's defiance.

She felt as if there were two different aspects of Asada Shino standing side by side, a young lonely girl with tear tracks in her face and a ruthless warrior with a heart of ice, both of them staring at her as if judging her soul.

'_All this time we have been fighting only for ourselves, desperately seeking strength without realizing that we didn't even understand what we were truly seeking. And now, now that we have finally realized what strength truly is, are we simply going to accept our end?'_ The warrior asked, a cold fury in her eyes.

'_We have been alone ever since that day. No one ever understood us, no one ever stood by our side. And now, now that we have finally found understanding, now that we are no longer alone, are we truly going to just disappear?'_ The young girl asked, defiance filling her small form.

'_Come, let's go.'_ They said in unison, hands held forward to grasp her own.

Blinking her eyes Sinon saw the darkness receding from her vision, a familiar coldness permeating her being as the small flame nested in her chest.

Kyouji was still holding the gun against her side as he clumsily tried to remove her tank top, completely distracted from everything else.

As she laid eyes upon the Blackstar, the gun that had been the source of so many of her nightmares for so long, there was no fear, only a fierce sense of determination.

'_This is not the end.'_ She thought in defiance, shoving him aside and kicking him with all her strength leaving him out of breath by her side.

As he tried to regain his breath she darted towards the apartment door, opening it as fast as she could, thinking about finding help.

But as she barely started to run, Kyouji was by her side pressing her against the railing of the corridor, having recovered and moved with unnatural speed.

"Why… Why must it be like this? Asada-san only has me! I'm the only one who understands Asada-san! I've always been helping you...always been protecting you..."

Upon hearing his words, Sinon recalled the incident a few days ago where she had been surrounded by Endo and her friends and was about to be extorted, and Kyouji just happened to pass by and save her.

But looking at things now, she realized it hadn't been a coincidence. It was likely that Kyouji tailed her every day after she left school until she entered her own house, and then would log into GGO to wait for her to enter the game.

Now that she knew what to look for she could see how obsessive his behavior had been. Raising her head in defiance she looked him in the eyes.

"I'm not yours! I'm my own person and belong to no one!" She shouted, fighting against his hold.

Hearing the noise from the next apartment, Sinon knew she had just to hold on for a few more moments, but noticing the same thing Kyouji grabbed her with all his strength and to her utter terror jumped of the railing.

Her terror was immediately replaced by disbelief upon noticing they were not falling, but instead were gliding, moving forward towards the park area near her apartment.

Looking up she saw Kyouji, the maddened smile back on his face and a pair of bat like wings sprouting from his back.

He opened his mouth to speak, but before a single sound could be formed a black star shot forward, colliding against them with incredible speed and snatching her from his hold while striking him down.

She watched as Kyouji was sent plummeting towards the park as a pair of strong arms held her as the ground approached slowly. Following the arms that were holding her she looked into a pair of eyes as dark as midnight, a pair of eyes that she knew far too well.

"Kirito…" She whispered in utter disbelief.

* * *

Gently landing besides Koneko, Yui and Kirito who was holding the young girl with black hair and eyes they had just rescued, Asuna immediately focused on the threat at hand.

The fact they were dealing with a Devil was possibly problematic but not unexpected, not after the information she had acquire from both Klein and the others and the quick conversation she had with Kirito as they flew here.

Holding down her impulse to smack Kirito for simply ramming into the enemy and hoping that worked, instead of waiting for them to come up with any kind of strategy to save the hostage safely, Asuna allowed herself to enter her zone.

The feeling of unbreakable steel and utter focus that she allowed to take over when in a battle situation, the mask she had crafted and perfected in SAO, the mask that had lead troops trough hell and back and could claim victory from the jaws of defeat.

"Kirito, what the hell is happening?!" She heard the girl ask in a slightly hysterical tone of voice from somewhere behind her.

"Haha… well, you see Sinon is kind of complicated…" She heard Kirito answer; she didn't even have to turn around to know he was sporting that sheepish smile of his.

"Complicated?! Kyouji sprouted a pair of wings! And so did you! This is not complicated; this is supposed to be impossible!" She nearly shouted, now anger entering her voice alongside her confusion, showing that she was clearly at her wits end due to the strange situation she found herself into.

'_Understandable really, it's not every day you get kidnapped by a biblical creature most consider to not exist.'_ Asuna thought in bemusement even as her eyes remained trained in the underbrush where their opponent had fallen.

"You! Don't get near my Asada-san! She is mine!" A maddened voice bellowed as a skinny male with brown hair burst from the underbrush with a pistol on his hand.

"Koneko, with me." She ordered, darting forward with all her speed knowing that Koneko would be right behind her.

She doubted that the pistol could hurt Kirito or Koneko due to their [Rook] strength and she was fairly certain she could easily avoid the gun's barrel pointing towards her due to her speed, but it still remained a threat to both Yui and the girl they had rescued, a threat she intended to neutralize.

Appearing next to her opponent's side she grabbed the arm that was holding the pistol and twisted, locking his arm into place and preventing him from aiming.

While that neutralized her opponents weapon she had no weapons herself to finish him, but that was why she had told Koneko to follow her.

Taking advantage of the immobilized state she had left their opponent Koneko rushed forward. All her considerable strength focused in a blow that was delivery straight to his gut sending him flying straight at and through a tree.

"…Unimpressive." Koneko clinically expressed, looking at where their opponent had just disappeared back into the underbrush.

While inwardly agreeing with Koneko, Asuna kept her guard up as she scanned the area for more threats, her instincts telling her that the danger had yet to pass.

'_That boy didn't match the Stray Devil description in the slightest, something is up.'_

Turning around she saw Kirito was also scanning the area, probably feeling the same unease that she was feeling, while the girl had apparently calmed down a bit as Kirito gave her a basic run down of what was happening, although she was still eyeing Yui as if she doubted her own sanity at the moment.

"That boy is a disgrace!" A rough voice said from the side, disgust clear in his tone. "I don't know why we even bothered with enlisting him, even if he is your brother."

"Truly, he is of little consequence. Especially considering, what we have before us, at this moment." A halting voice said with glee.

Quickly turning around Asuna watched as two men slowly approached them with excitement clear in their eyes, completely unconcerned by the fate of the young boy who had just crashed through the tree.

The first had an uneven tangle of long black hair, thin cheeks covered by a stubby beard and silver earrings on his ears, and was wearing a discolored T-shirt with leather pants of the same color, high laced boots and a thick silver necklace around his neck.

The second one had short brown hair, appearing to be closely related to the boy they had just taken down, and was wearing a red t-shirt and black pants.

Both of them appeared to be armed the first with many hunting knives on his belt and the second with a thin metal cylinder the size of an arm that ended into a needle like point, an Estoc.

"True, indeed." The first man happily answered. "To think that both, the Flash and the Black Swordsmen would be part of our world! Ah, this is a most glorious occasion!"

"Xaxa… and that voice… you are Johnny Black aren't you?" Kirito demanded, stepping forward to stand by her side.

A hungry smile was all the answer they received, but it was enough, as she remembered facing both opponents in the floating castle of Aincrad during the great crusade.

"Laughing Coffin." She nearly spat the name, her hand darting to her waist to grab a rapier that was not there.

"Ah, so that is how, you retained your strength. To think you, would have transcended as well. This is truly, a joyous occasion." Xaxa said with impossible glee, his eyes never wavering from Kirito's location. "Come, Black-swordsmen, let us continue, our battle, for you shall die, by my blade."

"Sinon, stay back, we will handle this. Yui go hide in the trees." Kirito said as he took a fighting stance, fists closed and in front of his torso and knees slightly bent ready to react.

Taking in the situation Asuna analyzed their chances, they had no weapons while their opponents were armed. Considering the fact the boy was a Devil, those two probably were as well and since she didn't know their pieces there was no way to know what they could do.

But they did outnumber them, so the best plan would be for Kirito to hold Xaxa's attention since he was apparently obsessed with fighting him, while she and Koneko quickly took down the other before going to his aid.

"How rude, you were about to start the party without waiting for me, weren't you?" A deep voice said from behind them.

Stepping to the side so she could look at who had spoken without turning her back to the others Asuna took in his appearance.

A young man with red hair, so dark that it nearly looked black, wearing a dark shirt and dark pants while sporting the same crazed smile on his face as the others.

"Hiraku Kiyoshi." She heard Kirito exclaim by her side.

'_So this is the Stray Devil, the one who murdered his [King] before escaping into the human world and starting this whole mess._ _Things just got more complicated.'_ She thought, gaze fixed on his left arm as her mind raced through the information she had acquire about him.

He was a reincarnated Devil who received the [Rook] piece and had a very dangerous contact based Sacred Gear, [Cursed Touch]. A Sacred Gear that was able to curse organic matter upon the slightest contact.

"Kirito, to think you would oppose my 'King' even in this reality, how annoying."

"What are you talking about? You killed your [King]!" Kirito shot back, eyes darting around in case the others were to attack as they talked.

"That pathetic weakling was not my [King]! My true 'King' opened up my eyes, he showed me the truth! And in return I swore him my allegiance." He shouted, his eyes shining with the maddened devotion of a zealot. "Although I have to admit, at least that weakling did serve a greater purpose by allowing my true 'King' and our companions to ascend."

"His Evil Pieces." Asuna said in realization. "But only the [King] of a Peerage can use them!"

Upon hearing her words Johnny Black started to laugh. "You should know this by now Flash. When facing their end, weaklings will do anything if you promise to spare them! The fool gladly allowed us to ascend believing it would allow him to keep his pathetic life!"

Narrowing her eyes in disgust Asuna understood what he was saying. Kiyoshi had probably threatened the owner of the pieces while promising he would live should he reincarnate the others, only to not keep his end of the bargain afterwards.

"Enough talking, it's time, for our battle, to come, to an end." Xaxa exclaimed, immediately darting forward with the speed of an [Knight], his Estoc enveloped in a crimson light as he lunged against Kirito.

Jumping to the side Kirito avoided the first thrust, but before he could attempt to counter was forced to quickly backpedal to avoid the chain of strikes that were raining upon him.

"Indeed, it's time for us to end this." Kiyoshi said as a black mist enveloped his left arm. "For the sake of my 'King' you must die!"

"Koneko, deal with the one with the knives but be careful, I'll deal with this one." Asuna commanded, watching by the side of her eyes Koneko nodding her agreement and moving to intercept Johnny Black as her gaze remained locked into the bigger threat.

Kiyoshi's left arm was now encased in a black clawed gauntlet that was crisscrossed by countless thin crimson vein-like lines, giving it the appearance of something corrupted by a deadly disease, an arm riddled with decay.

"You think you can fight me?" He said mockingly. "One single touch is all I need to take you down!" He shouted, lunging towards her.

Not wasting her breath with useless banter Asuna easily sidestepped the lunge, eyes scanning his form for weaknesses as her mind sought out how to defeat an enemy she couldn't touch while lacking the use of her rapier.

* * *

Ducking low Kirito avoided the speeding crimson enveloped Estoc before countering with a black enveloped fist, only to be thwarted by a sudden burst of speed that took his enemy out of reach.

'_He is definitely a [Knight].'_ He thought with annoyance avoiding a series of lightning fast thrusts by mere inches.

Sensing his opponent appearing at his side he raised his left arm to divert the blow while simultaneously turning around to avoid the brunt of the strike.

A flash of pain crossing his body as the Estoc left a thin red trail alongside his forearm he struck, only for his opponent to dodge at the last second.

'_This is not good, I don't have the range to hit him and his strikes can pierce my defense if only barely.'_ He thought taking a quick look at the shallow cut on his arm.

"Is this, the best, you can accomplish? Is this, all that, you amount to?" Xaxa said mockingly, darting forward and unleashing a Sword-skill after the other against him.

Not wasting any time with an answer to his taunts he keep evading his strikes, weaving and ducking around the darting Estoc that was relentlessly seeking his body and only blocking with his forearms when he had no other choice.

Searching for an effective counter to the problem at hand his eyes rested upon the trees along the path, large, thick and over six feet tall, a memory of their training trip immediately springing to the top of his mind.

A small smirk appearing on his face he rolled away from his opponent latest lunge before jumping towards one of the trees.

Grabbing its trunk with both hands he heaved, uprooting it with a mighty crack before turning in place and swinging it with all his strength.

Just like he expected, Xaxa who had been hot on his trail wasted a fraction of a second staring in disbelief before attempting to dodge, allowing him to clip him at the side with his improvised weapon.

"You were saying?" He couldn't help but ask, looking at the battered lunatic that was rising from the ground, a small trail of blood leaking from his mouth.

Raising a hand to his mouth he cleaned the blood trail before moving it so he could see it, his face taking a look of utter glee upon seeing the blood and the maddened glint shining on his eyes growing even stronger.

"Yes, this is, how it should be!" He shouted, darting forward as if his injuries had no meaning.

Raising his oversized club Kirito readied himself; eyes locked onto his opponent lightning fast movements in order to predict his next strike.

Angling the tree so that it would receive the incoming strikes he weathered the storm of blows, eyes tracking the smallest of openings, searching for the right moment to strike.

This was now a battle of attrition, of speed versus strength, and he had every intention of wining. After-all he constantly trained with someone who practically embodied the word speed and there was no way he would fall against anyone else.

Blocking a sudden attack from the crimson enveloped Estoc that was darting towards his chest Kirito felt the tree shudder with the impact, the countless cracks crisscrossing its trunk showing that his improvised weapon would not last much longer.

He knew he could easily replace the tree for a new one, but watching from the corner of his eyes Koneko battling Johnny Black and Asuna avoiding Kiyoshi's black gauntlet he decided he had to end his own battle as fast as possible.

The problem was his opponent's weapon; he knew that if he could neutralize that he could easily overpower him.

Watching Xaxa rush towards him, Estoc by his side ready to pierce straight through his heart Kirito decided upon his course of action.

'_Asuna is going to kill me for this.'_ He absentmindedly thought, readying to implement his plan even knowing his wife would not appreciate another of his, in her words, completely ridiculous and slightly suicidal stunts.

Throwing the trunk at his opponent's path he forced him to drop low to avoid it, lowering his speed and forcing him to come at him straight from the front.

Rushing forward with all his speed he went towards Xaxa as he readied to thrust his weapon. With a burst of movement his left hand darted forward with the palm open right into the path of the crimson enveloped Estoc.

'_This is going to hurt.'_ The stray thought darted through his mind the moment before the impact.

Fighting down the sudden burst of pain he closed his hand, trapping the sword into place and placing himself right next to his very shocked opponent.

Not wasting a single moment his black encased right fist surged forward, hitting Xaxa straight in the face with all his considerable strength.

* * *

Countering Johnny Black's strikes with a series of open palm thrusts Koneko easily deflected her opponent's daggers even as they darted forward in vivid flashes of crimson light.

While the lack of weapons had greatly impaired Asuna and Kirito's battle efficiency, she was completely ready for battle for she was always armed, her fists were her weapon.

Even his Sword-skills were easily countered, having had her fair share of experience dealing with them in her training spars against Kirito and Asuna.

Twisting to the side she unleashed a devastating kick that her opponent evaded by the smallest of margins due to his superior speed, confirming her suspicion on his piece.

Not even slightly fazed by the miss she kept the motion, bringing her feet into the ground with earth shattering force, emulating a move she had seen Kirito attempt against Asuna in one of their many practice sessions.

A [Kinight's] speed may be impressive, but take down their footing and they become a far lesser threat.

Rushing forward she delivered a series of crunching blows against her opponent as he desperately attempted to avoid her attacks while struggling to regain his balance after being hit by her localized miniature earthquake.

She could feel a deep satisfaction permeating her being as her fist connected with his left arm with a resounding cracking noise.

Kirito,Asuna and Yui. Ever since they had entered her life she felt as if a void deep within her had started to be slowly filled.

A gaping wound that had simply refused to close no matter how many years passed had slowly started to heal. A wound that had remained ever since Her betrayal.

While Rias had her friendship and loyalty she also had been unable to fill that void. But now, slowly but surely, she could feel it disappear. And it was all thanks to them.

Their actions, their silent understanding, their ever present support, were things she valued above everything else and she could confidently say that they were no longer just friends but something more.

And now someone wanted to hurt them, someone wanted to endanger them and she simply would not allow it.

Narrowing her eyes she charged forward, smashing a pair of knives that had been thrown at her into smithereens without missing a single beat.

Closing in against her opponent her fist darted forward, all her strength gathered into a blow ready to crush everything on her path.

Someone was threatening the ones she had come to love and she would utterly destroy them for that.

* * *

'_A truly dangerous ability.'_ Asuna analytically thought, watching the withered tree she had used as cover moments before.

The moment her opponent Sacred Gear had made contact upon its bark, thin red lines had spread to envelop the tree before promptly rooting it in mere moments, leaving nothing but a withered husk behind.

"You can't avoid me forever! One single touch and you are a goner, my Sacred Gear is invincible!" He shouted amidst the withered trees that marked the path of his onslaught.

Tuning out her opponent's inconsequential shouts she analyzed all the information she had gathered so far in their battle, concluding her plan.

While she would freely admit Kiyoshi's [Cursed Touch] was a fearsome attack oriented Sacred Gear, it had obvious limitations, limitations that could be easily exploited.

He had to make direct contact in order to use it, also according to what she had gathered from Kirito and the others its effect was drastically reduced against inorganic materials and finally, judging by how the trees had been affected upon being hit, it took around two seconds for the curse to start acting and overtake its victim.

And while for most that wouldn't seem like much, for her that was more than enough, for her two seconds was almost an eternity.

Lowering her body closer to the ground she darted forward, the world blurring around her as she approached her surprised enemy.

Doing a graceful twist she slipped past his extended arm stopping right in front of him with her arm brought back with the palm opened and ready to strike.

Focusing her resolve she gathered her power into her open palm, a blue aura concentrating into a sphere as she forced reality to bend to her will.

A moment later as he started to react to her sudden appearance, she brought her hand forward striking his chest with a ball of pressurized water that burst violently upon contact throwing him backwards against the dead trees.

Watching her opponent rising from the ground in furry she took the damaged she had inflicted. His shirt had a circular hole the size of a melon and below it was an equally sized bruise determining the impact point on his chest.

Narrowing her eyes at the damaged she had caused she darted forward, another sphere already forming in her hands.

Avoiding another clumsy strike and hitting him in the exact same place she allowed a faint smile to appear on her face.

Keeping the pressure she quickly followed her opponent not allowing him a single moment of respite, gracefully avoiding each of his strikes while simultaneously bombarding him with her own barrage.

He would fall. For while the defenses of a [Rook] were truly formidable, she knew that even the mightiest of fortresses could fall in face of repeated strikes, especially if they were delivered to the same area.

But just as she was about to continue her onslaught a sudden cry pierced the night.

Jumping backwards to gain space between her and her enemy she watched as the boy who she and Koneko had took down earlier forcefully grabbed Sinon right arm in order to restrain her while pointing his pistol straight to her head.

'_Things just got even more difficult.'_ She grimly thought, barely paying attention to his ramblings about surrendering or he would shoot the hostage as her eyes sought a way to neutralize him.

* * *

Sinon simply could not believe her eyes. Fighting down the waves of fear, anger, incredulity and annoyance that were battling for dominance in her heart she wondered at the impossibility that this night was turning into and how it had utterly annihilated her sense of reality.

First she had helped a strange swordsman to find and defeat a mass murderer while playing the third BoB tournament, finally understanding the meaning of strength thanks to his actions and even winning the tournament alongside him in the process.

Then she found her oldest ally had betrayed her by working with said bunch of crazy killers only to later try to kidnap her by flying out into the night, that being quickly followed by her first friend in years saving her from the kidnapping attempt by colliding against Kyouji while still in midair.

As if that hadn't being enough, it was shortly followed by Kirito and his friends, who also could fly, entering some kind of death match against a group of people who apparently knew Kyouji and also wanted them all dead.

Not to mention said death match was filled with moves and powers that could only be called inhuman, making her question her own sanity not for the first time in this night.

Only to conclude everything with Kyouji grabbing her arm from behind as she stood watching the battles and pointing a gun to her head.

'_I miss the days when the world made sense.'_ She thought with sarcasm.

"Everybody stop! Asada-san is mine! So stand back, for if I can't have her no one will!"

Fighting back the cold fury she felt for being treated like nothing more than an object Sinon watched as Kirito and his friends backed away from their opponents, warily watching Kyouji.

Taking in the appearance of everyone who had participated in those battles it was clear who had the upper hand.

While Kirito was sporting a lot of small cuts in his arms and a serious injury in his left hand, the young white haired girl was sporting only minor cuts in her own hands while the chestnut long haired girl appeared to be completely untouched.

The other side had fared far worse, the black haired man with the Knives was sporting a clearly broken arm and bruises all over, the red head with the freaky left arm had his shirt completely destroyed and some serious bruises on his chest, the way he was walking indicating his ribs were probably bruised, and Kyouji's brother, who she suspected was Death Gun, was laying in the floor out cold.

All in all, it was clear who was going to emerge victorious, if not for the stunt Kyouji had managed to pull by holding her hostage.

'_What am I, a freaking damsel in distress?!'_ She thought, attempting to release Kyouji's hold on her as a familiar coldness grew inside her. _'I'm not allowing my friend and his allies to suffer due to my goddamned lack of attention!'_

And so, as she was struggling with her captor while watching as the others were still searching for an opening to attack and save her. Sinon caught a shadow moving from the corner of her eye, approaching unnoticed between the trees from Kyouji's back.

"Leave her alone you freak!" A young black haired girl cried, jumping from her hiding spot with her arms darting forward in a blur of movement with a shinai in her hands.

With a lighting fast strike she hit Kyouji in the hand holding his pistol disarming him. Not wasting a single moment she twisted around, turning all her momentum into a sideway swing that hit him in his gut and forcing him to double over while releasing his hold on Sinon. Without stopping she immediately followed with a strike to the back of his head carrying all her weight, knocking him out and throwing him against the floor as a loud cracking noise filled the air.

The utter silence her arrival and actions had caused were shattered as she turned around, eyes wide in panic and shouted.

"Onii-chan watch out!"

Following her gaze Sinon heart stopped. Taking advantage of the distraction her actions had caused Kiyoshi had rushed towards Kirito, left hand extended ready to strike and already closing in to hit his chest.

Feeling as if time had slowly ground to a halt she watched as Kirito attempted to react while the others surged forward in order to aid him, but she could easily see that Kirito would be unable to dodge in time and that the others wouldn't reach him before it was too late.

She had seen what that black claw could do, the dead trees scattered around were all the proof she needed to know that they couldn't allow him to touch Kirito.

And so, as her opponent's black arm slowly inched its way towards her only friend's chest she suddenly knew what had to be done, the knowledge filling her mind as if it had always been there just waiting for the right moment to surface.

With a very familiar sense of coldness permeating her entire being she raised her hands in a motion that she had never done before but still felt completely natural.

'_I see. So you were always accompanying me. Not just in the hands of the sniper but also being with an ordinary girl like me. You were always there trying to encourage and aid me even though I couldn't see you.'_

With a feeling of utter calm she drew her left hand backwards until past her ear, moonlight seeming to gather between her hands as the question Kirito had asked her in the semifinals sounded through her mind.

'_If that gun's bullet would really kill your opponent and if you did not shoot yourself or someone precious to you would die, would you still pull the trigger?'_

Before she had hesitated, faltering before the choice the question proposed. But now she had her answer.

Taking aim of her target as his blackened hand just barely touched Kirito's chest she release all her fear, all her despair, all her anger, as death in a crystallized form darted forward easily breaking the sound barrier.

A flash of silver seemed to pierce the darkness striking Kiyoshi on his side and throwing him away due to the power of the blow.

Smiling at her friend gob smacked expression she lowered her gaze, her eyes taking in the beautifully rune covered silver bow that was resting on her hands, a sense of rightness filling her being alongside the familiar cold feeling she had always associate with one weapon, Hecate.

Gently caressing the bow two words appeared on her mind as if declaring a simple truth and telling her everything she needed to know about the impossible object she was holding.

"[Moonlit Sniper]." She whispered with a smile on her lips.

But before anything else could be said the slow sound of clapping filled the park, Kirito and the others rushing to her side while searching the source of the noise.

"Magnificent! A tale of pain and sorrow, of impossible odds overcome and evils conquered! Truly exquisite!" A hooded man joyfully said appearing as if from the shadows.

His face and body were obscured by a long dark brown hood, only his strong jaw line and slowly clapping hands visible from its concealing darkness.

"My 'King' I must beg your forgiveness for we have failed." Kyouji said, forcing himself to stand despite his injuries.

Waving a hand in a dismissive gesture he kept circling around their group while keeping his distance, not wasting a single glance to his wounded companions.

"I must say Kirito, it's most surprising to see you here. It's almost as if fate itself is conspiring to force us to oppose each other." He said in a carefree tone as if talking about something as trivial as the weather.

"PoH." Kirito said in revulsion, his eyes narrowing dangerously as if he wanted nothing more than to attack this new arrival.

"Oh my, I can feel so much hate in your words Kirito. One could even assume that you are not pleased by my presence here." He replied as if pained by the reaction he had received, a small smile appearing from beneath his hood.

"Who would appreciate the presence of a murderous psychopath like you?" Asuna hissed, readying herself to charge at the first opportunity.

"Such harsh words my dear Flash. But alas all visionaries were reviled by their peers, demonized by ignorant fools that were unable to understand their actions." He said sagely.

"All I do is show people the reality of this world of illusions. That we all are mere actors in the great stage of life and so should play our parts." He continued as he stopped moving and turned to stare at them, arms opened as if to embrace the world. "And yet you revile me for such noble actions, attempting to bind me with the same chains you foolishly bind yourselves with."

"You are nothing but a madman." Kirito said in anger taking a step forward.

Lowering his hands and shaking his head in apparent sadness PoH continued in the same joyful tone as before, completely uncaring about the growing tension amidst his listeners.

"Many geniuses were considered mad by those who couldn't understand their actions. One day you will also see the truth, that I…"

But before he could continued his speech it was brought to a halt by a small hand that had took hold of his head, pulling it backwards exposing his neck while a second hand sporting a set of long metal claws attached to the wrist darted forward.

With a vicious ripping movement the claws were brought back leaving behind a faint golden trail on their wake as they passed through his neck.

Watching in disbelief the curly auburn haired and brown eyed girl that had just suddenly appeared behind their opponent before promptly disposing of him with brutal efficiency Sinon wondered what had just happened.

Her confusion was only intensified as the moment his body hit the ground it shattered as if it was made of glass.

"How utterly rude, but then again I guess you were not called the Rat for nothing." The man voice resounded through the park as if coming from all directions at once.

Looking around Sinon noticed that a group of people had appeared with the young girl while their fallen opponents had simply disappeared as if they had never been there.

"I guess we have outstayed our welcome but do not fear you shall be hearing about us again soon enough." The man continued, his voice retaining the same cheerful tone as before, completely uncaring about the attempt to end his life. "After-all no matter what happens, the show must go on!"

The utter silence his farewell words had caused where brought to an end as a young golden haired girl rushed forward towards Kirito, eyeing his wounded hand with worry.

"Kirito-san let me see that hand." She said while enveloping the injury with a green glow.

"Thanks Asia, that's much better." Kirito said as the hole in his hand slowly closed.

"Truly frustrating, but it seems we were working under faulty information from the beginning." The auburn haired girl said while approaching them, her piercing eyes fixed on Kirito. "While I'm happy no one got seriously hurt in this mess I want you to explain to me Kii-bou, what part of informing me should anything important happen didn't you get?"

AS he opened his mouth to answer, Kirito was brought short by a hand being placed on his shoulder by the long chestnut haired girl, a chilling smile on her face.

"Oh don't worry Argo, we are going to have a long conversation about this, aren't we Kirito?" She asked, her smile appearing to grow colder by the second and making shivers to go down Sinon's spine.

"Thanks Aa-chan I'll leave that into your capable hands." She said joyfully before eyeing the destroyed surroundings and sighing tiredly.

"What a mess. Silica, Lizbeth, I hope you two paid attention in last week's lesson because we have to make sure there were no witnesses to this little debacle. Megumi take them and start from her apartment before going around the rest of the neighborhood, but stay together, let's not take unnecessary risks."

"Got it, leave it to us and don't worry I'll take care of the girls." A beautiful girl with light red hair answered with a fanged smirk, grabbing the two other girls before promptly taking flight.

"Klein keep watch, they may be gone but I'm not taking any chances. Help Issei guard the others so that Asia may heal everyone properly."

"No problem, but what about you." He replied, eyes scanning their surroundings while very conspicuously avoiding looking at where Asuna was berating Kirito for his actions.

Sighing in annoyance Argo merely pointed towards a camera standing atop a post at the other side of the park.

"Unless we want this whole mess to be in the internet by morning I better get to work and erase whatever images that thing may have got."

"I can do that if you want, I can directly access the system and erase the images right now." The cheerful little fairy said while floating downwards from her perch in the trees where she had been hiding.

Argo stared at the small fairy girl for a moment before shaking her head as if to clear her mind.

"Yui what are you doing here? Nah, never mind I guess I'll just have some more things to ask Kirito tomorrow. Sure, that would be a great help, thanks."

Sinon watched the small fairy nod her assent before flying towards Kirito, who was apparently now receiving a dressing down from the black haired girl that had saved her with the chestnut haired girl silently nodding her head in agreement by her side.

But before she could follow her and get some much needed answers from her new friend Argo stood in her path a great predatory smile on her face.

"Greetings and Salutations Asada Shino, also known as Sinon, top sniper of the game Gun Gale Online, my name is Tsukino Dantalion and we have much to discuss." She said giving a small curtsy as she presented herself, her eyes shining upon taking in the bow in Sinon's hands.

"I'm quite sure you have a lot of questions regarding this night's occurrences, so feel free to ask them, but before that allow me to make a question of my own." She said as her smile grew even wider. "What is it that you desire?"

* * *

The sun was setting, staining the world crimson as he slowly disappeared into the horizon granting the world his last few rays of light before darkness could come forward to reign once more.

Watching the horizon with a faraway look in her eyes, Sinon absentmindedly played with her glasses as the classroom slowly emptied.

Her NXT optical glasses, that didn't even have a prescription on the lens and were nothing more than a thin shield that she wore to separate herself from the rest of the world.

But now, after everything that had happened, all the trials she had faced and revelations she had discovered, she wondered if they no longer had a purpose.

Before she could reach a decision the sound of several footsteps accompanied by laughter filled her ears. Turning around she watched as Endo and her two companions entered the now empty classroom with smirks on their faces.

"Hello Asada, we were looking for you. Since we're friends anyway we thought you could help us out, you see we're a little tight here so just lend us 20,000 yen." She said with a cruel look in her eyes as her two friends laughed in the background.

Sinon slowly got up from her seat, fixing her shawl around her neck, taking off her glasses and carefully putting them in her skirt pocket.

"I said it before. I don't have money to lend you." She calmly said with a stern look in her eyes.

"You arrogant little…" Endo exclaimed, anger permeating her features before being quickly replaced by a cruel smirk. "You know Asada; I managed to borrow that thing from my nii-san. I guess you were just dying to see it weren't you?"

Smirk firmly into place she retrieved a black pistol model gun out from her bag. Gingerly holding it in her hands she pointed it at Sinon.

"I heard that this can blow a hole in thick cardboard. Nii-san told me not to use it to shoot someone, but you won't listen to that right, Asada? After-all you're used to it, aren't you?"

Blankly looking at the gun pointed towards her, Sinon was surprised to see that the feelings of panic and fear that had always accompanied even the slightest simulation of a gun were lacking. She could feel only the barest tinges of annoyance at their actions.

'_I guess you helped me even more than I first realized Kirito.'_

"Cry, Shino. Kneel down and beg for forgiveness. Or else I'll really shoot." Endo said in anger due to Sinon absolute lack of reaction to the gun.

Watching as Endo aimed the model gun at her, a smirk on her face, Sinon had to fight down her own smirk upon noticing that Endo had no idea what she was doing and had left the safeties on.

"Damn it, what's going on?" She cried, squeezing the trigger in frustration.

Taking a deep breath she strode forward, right hand darting upwards and grabbing the gun from the surprised Endo.

"A 1911 Government? Your brother must like the more traditional designs." She casually said, sliding her index finger into the trigger guard with practiced ease as she observed the weapon in her hands. "The 1911 Government has a hand safety and a grip safety so you can't shoot it without opening these two safeties."

Pointing it forward, straight at a stunned Endo she quickly disarmed both safeties.

"Also, it's a single-action gun, so you have to lift the hammer right from the beginning in order to shoot." She kept her explanation in a neutral tone while flicking the hammer up with her thumb.

Pointing the gun away from a quickly paling Endo she aimed at an abandoned soda can at the back of the classroom. With a quick squeeze the gun fired knocking it over.

Rearming both safeties Sinon handed the gun to the stunned trio. Without uttering a single world she left the class behind not even glancing at them.

Reaching the school gates her cell phone rang informing she had a message. Flicking it open she couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her lips as she read its contents.

The first tests were very hopeful, saying that while it would probably take a very long treatment, ever since her mother 'miraculous' start to recovery the doctors were quite certain that she would eventually manage to regain her true self.

Closing her aunt's message she looked into the darkened sky as a feeling of contentment permeated her soul.

The sun may have set, but the moon was slowly rising, crushing the shadows under her all encompassing silver glow.

Her smile growing even larger she took a moment to appreciate the night before moving towards her apartment, she had much to do for her life had suddenly changed and for the first time in years she allowed herself to hope.

All thanks to the meddlesome interference of a clueless swordsman.

* * *

**Author's Note's:**

In Canon Sinon treats Hecate almost as if it was alive. It gives her strength and focus throughout the story in moments of need and that alongside the fact that there are moments in which time appears to slow down as she uses it made me change things so that those situations where in fact caused by a Sacred Gear that would be partially activated while she was under duress and enhance her capabilities.

I took me some time to decide the names for the Sacred Gears that appeared on this chapter. In the end I choose to follow the trend established by Canon, in order words the Sacred Gear name had to loosely describe the Gear effect or power.

[Boosted Gear], [Twilight Healing], [Sword Birth] just to say a few, they all practically announce what they do so I followed that trend with both [Cursed Touch] and [Moonlit Sniper]. Point in fact the only Gear I can remember that doesn't immediately announce its function in its name is Gasper's [Forbidden Barlor View].

If you are wondering about the Moonlit part, it's a link to her sniper rifle Hecate II since amidst other things the Greek goddess Hecate was a goddess of the moon.

Just making things clear, Hiraku Kiyoshi was the only Devil in the red guild Laughing Coffin during SAO. Being swayed by PoH words he started to see him as his true 'King' resulting in him revealing the truth about Devils and helping him into becoming one by murdering his old [King].

In my opinion PoH most dangerous trait was not his skills, even if they were at the level of the clearers, but his charisma that was capable of converting people to his dangerous ideals. Also I liked the twist of making a human sway a Devil into falling into the darkness so PoH was a human in SAO.

Be prepared, for this will not be the last time we see PoH and his gang of psychopaths, they will bring a lot of problems to Kirito and the Peerage down the line, after-all the khaos they will bring to the story is just starting.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	16. Chapter 16 - The Rat Returns

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, I can proudly say that with this chapter we have passed the 100.000 words threshold. I can't start to explain my thoughts about this accomplishment so let me just thank everyone who supported me ever since I awkwardly started to write this story up to this point. Thank you.

Thirdly, this is kind of a bridge chapter, linking the GGO arc with the next one while simultaneously tying a few loose ends and explaining a few things that were just mentioned before, like chapter 8 did before. If you are curious about what arc is coming next I have just one word for you, Excalibur!

Fourthly, Happy New Year!

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**The Rat Returns**

The Sun was shining, the birds were singing, not a single cloud could be seen in the sky. By all accounts it was a perfect day.

And yet, despite the magnificent weather Kirito couldn't help but feel a sense of doom as he stood in the middle of the Occult Research Club Room watching Rias calmly sipping her tea.

After summoning him here Rias hadn't said a single word to him, apparently intending to merrily finish her tea first.

At her left Akeno calmly stood, ready to answer to her [Kings] orders, her beatifically smiling face somehow managing to unnerve him greatly. At her left Asuna stood at attention, her stern expression and the glint in her eyes doing nothing to assuage his worries.

'_I have a bad feeling about this.'_ Kirito grimly thought as he watched the rooms only other occupants, the rest of the Peerage nowhere to be seen.

Calmly putting the teacup down Rias interlocked her hands and raised them to beneath her chin before looking into his eyes, her serene face betraying nothing of her thoughts.

"You know Kirito-kun, I had quite an unusual ending to my weekend. After nearly two days of smoothing over my relationship and standing with the rest of my family I simply expected to return to the human world without any kind of fanfare."

"So imagine my surprise when I received an official message from the Dantalion heiress as I was about to leave the Gremory state. The relationship between the Gremory and the Dantalion has always been neutral, so I was understandably curious to see why their heiress would contact me directly."

She said with a smile, making Kirito awkwardly rub the back of his head as he could guess pretty well what the message was about.

"But I really didn't expect the message to be about you and your actions. About your little hunt against a Stray Devil that the heiress had also been hunting and how it boiled down into a battle royal between three members of my Peerage against an entire group of Stray Devils."

"You know Kirito-kun, I believe that I made myself perfectly clear when I allowed you to take that request from Kikuoka-san, that you should inform me should anything unusual happen or should you need help."

"So, care to explain why is it that you managed to find yourself in this mess and what exactly where you thinking?" She finished, the smile vanishing from her face as she gazed intently at him, her displeasure clear for all to see.

Kirito found himself locked into place by Rias gaze; he could see anger there, but also concern and a massive amount of worry.

The sudden realization that Rias was not angry because of his actions of hiding information from her and acting on his own, but due to the risk he had taken and the fact she would have been unable to help should he need it crushed any reply he could come up with.

"Rias… I'm sorry. At the moment I thought that it was a good idea… that I shouldn't put the rest of the Peerage at risk… that I had to solve the mess… but in the end… I wasn't thinking things through." Kirito awkwardly explained, his regret about worrying Rias clear in his face.

"I'm sorry, I really screwed up, and I should have told you what was really going on." He finished, looking her straight in the eyes so she could understand he meant his words.

Letting out a long sigh Rias allowed a small smile to appear in her face, looking at him with exasperation and a tinge of fondness.

"For someone who tries so hard to look like a rogue you really can't help but play the knight in shining armor can you Kirito? But while the results weren't bad per se, you still broke your word and so need to be disciplined."

She said with an impish smile in her face as Akeno calmly took a box from a drawer in the side of the room.

Wearily eyeing the box Kirito tried to remain calm despite his brain unhelpful acts of trying to imagine what exactly a High-class Devil would consider a proper punishment.

Taking a deep breath he firmed his resolve. He would not renege his words or actions, for doing so would be the same as saying he regretted saving Sinon and the other players of the tournament. He would accept the responsibility for his actions and take this punishment as a true swordsman.

Smiling at the resolve she could see at his eyes Rias took the box from the still smiling Akeno and carefully opened it, the lit of the box hiding its contents from Kirito's view.

"Normally I would do this kind of punishment personally." She calmly explained, slowly removing an object from the box. "But considering the nature of the relationship between you and Asuna I believe it would be best for her to do it."

Kirito's eyes bulged as he saw what was on Rias hands, incredulity clear on his face. Quickly looking around he saw that Akeno's eyes were shining despite the serene smile that remained on her face while Asuna also starred in bemused confusion at the object that was being offered to her.

"So, will you do the honors?" Rias calmly asked, her impish smile covering her entire face as she offered the wooden paddle to Asuna.

As he watched Asuna's expression of confused bemusement being slowly replaced by a near mirror image of Rias impish smile a single thought passed through Kirito's mind.

'_I have a really bad feeling about this…'_

* * *

Calmly walking by the sports field on Kuoh academy Asuna couldn't help but smile as she remembered Rias idea of punishment for Kirito's misbehavior.

She truly hadn't expected someone born and raised in Devil society to come up with such a childish idea to discipline the members of her Peerage.

'_Then again Kirito's look upon seeing the paddle was truly priceless.'_ She thought in bemusement.

Thinking about his recent actions Asuna's smile diminished slightly, as a bit of concern entered her features.

She knew that Kirito had a bit of a hero complex and a tendency to blame himself for things outside his control; it was as much part of him as his skills with a sword. But those traits while making him a truly dependable and trustworthy person also had lead him straight into the ground-zero of more than one incident that he had barely escaped with his life.

She knew far too well that despite his love for dark colors and apparent roguish traits that deep down Kirito was someone who wouldn't hesitate to tackle another person's problems no matter the risk.

She not only accepted that long ago but also found it kind of endearing, a knight in shining armor living in the modern times.

What she really couldn't accept was him jumping directly into danger without a second thought, with no plan and without informing her and other allies that could guarantee that not only would he survive the mess but would also make sure it was resolved in the best possible way. He had to learn that he didn't have to do things by himself.

And if she had to beat that into his stubborn head, well so be it.

With that resolution in mind she allowed the smile to return to her features as she neared the sports Gym. Kirito would be missing first period, meeting Kikuoka in order to give him a heavily edited version of the facts of the incident.

She couldn't help but be impressed by Argo's ability to spin the events that had happened. Since things were just too big to be completely erased she had altered things so that the 'Death Gun' incident had been made by normal humans armed with syringes filled with a lethal poison with a ludicrous complicated name that could be stolen from the hospital owned by the father of two of the criminals.

Truly the 'Rat' didn't lose any of her skill even when operating IRL. After taking a look at the story Argo had basically cooked up on the spot and the 'evidence' she had 'acquired' Asuna would freely admit that if she didn't know better she would really believe that was what had happened.

This way there would be no danger of the police accidentally bumping in the supernatural and Argo had assure them that PoH and his accomplices would not be able to evade justice for long, what with Devil society actively hunting all Strays.

Her musings were cut short upon seeing Yui merrily waving towards her as she entered the Gym alongside Koneko, who nodded her way with a faint smile on her face.

Waving towards them Asuna felt her spirits lift. Koneko was far more open and happy now and while she was still far too stoic most of the time she knew that she was on the mend and in time she would end up opening up completely.

'_Perhaps we really should put a second bed in Yui's room. After-all Koneko is on our apartment more often than not.'_ She thought remembering Yui's constant nagging for them to do just that and the adorable picture of the petit [Rook] cuddling with Yui last night when she had slept in their apartment.

But before she could continued that line of thought her musings were once again stopped, this time by the sound of perverted giggles coming from the side of the Gym.

Narrowing her eyes she turned around, immediately spotting the 'Perverted Trio', Issei, Mahotama and Matsuda hiding behind a couple of bushes and peering into the Gym.

The Gym Koneko and Yui had just entered.

Her lips pressing into a straight line she marched straight towards the trio not even noticing the faint wisps of blue demonic energy that were leaking from her body as she approached them.

'_It seems Kirito is not the only stubborn fool that requires repeated bashing to learn a lesson.'_ She angrily thought as she stopped right behind the still giggling trio.

As she stood there behind them they immediately stilled, as if prey sensing an predator nearing, before slowly turning their heads to look at her disapproving glare encased in faint blue wisps of demonic energy.

She would never admit it, but the resulting shrieks the trio made upon seeing her were deeply satisfying.

* * *

Looking at the tall and skinny man, who was wearing a high class deep blue western suit with a patterned tie and black-framed spectacles that had just received their, heavily edited, account of the BoB events, Sinon couldn't shake off the feeling that he was more than a simple civil servant.

He had presented himself as Kikuoka from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Technology, but her gut was telling her there was far more to his story.

And as she watched him casually eating another ridiculously overpriced dessert she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

Everything in the menu of this Café, from mere sandwiches and pasta down to the desserts had at least four digits behind their prices.

Upon Kirito's urging she had managed to swallow her hesitation and ordered a cheese cake with cranberry sauce and an Earl Grey tea, while he had ordered a baked apple pudding, a Mont Blanc and an espresso.

Sinon couldn't even imagine how much money that would normally cost and that was without even mentioning the pile of sweets Kikuoka was consuming.

'_So this is where the tax pay ends up…'_ She thought with a vague ill filling at the tip of her stomach.

"So that's the gist of it? Well the police reports painted pretty much the same picture, but it's always good to get firsthand accounts of the events." He said cheerfully stopping eating for a moment.

"It's because of our carelessness that we caused Asada-san to be in such a dangerous situation. Not only had we failed to take 'Death Gun' threat seriously, but even as I asked Kirigaya-san for help we never expected 'Death Gun' to be a group of people. You have my most sincere apologies." He said slightly bowing his head.

"That's not necessary." She quietly replied.

"But it is, to think Kyouji-san would lose himself so deeply in the virtual world that he would do something like this. The fact it was allowed to happen is our fault."

Hearing the name of her former ally, someone she had believed she could trust Sinon stiffly nodded.

But even as she still felt the sadness and anger his betrayal had caused she couldn't help but think that that person hadn't been the real Kyouji, that something had hacked into his mind and caused him to do this.

Remembering what Kirito had said about PoH and 'Laughing Coffin' she realized that that wasn't that far from what had happened.

She had a feeling that in that moment that he had encountered his brother and the other members of the red guild the wall between Kyouji's imagination and the real world started to break apart, until only what they desired remained.

"That is not it. To him, whether it's the virtual world or the real world, only the things that were beneficial to him were real. The sense of reality was wearing thin on him...this may be the dark side of VRMMOs." Kirito said at her side, unknowingly voicing her thoughts.

"Un, I see. Then what about your reality Kirigaya-san? Being a long time user of VRMMOs yourself wouldn't that affect you to?" He asked far too cheerfully for the subject.

Shino thought that Kirito would give a mischievous smile and downplay Kikuoka's question. However the abnormally serious look that appeared on his face as he stared at the civil servant showed her she had been wrong.

"It's true that I left a part of myself in that world. A part of me I'll probably never recover. For me there isn't a true virtual world anymore, wherever the person is in, that is reality."

Strangely enough Sinon could easily understand what Kirito was saying, having felt similar feelings as she dived into GGO.

"I feel the same. While I know this world is the real world, a virtual world that's created from a AmuSphere it's still a real world to me...that's how I think it should be." She said while stretching her right hand out to touch Kirito's left wrist with her fingertips, assuring her mind that he was real.

"Interesting… Regardless, back to the topic, if it wasn't for you two's hard work, there would probably be even more casualties, so again thank you, and don't worry we will capture the culprits sooner or later."

"Yeah I know." Kirito replied with a sigh. "But to think that just as the VRMMO franchise had started to recover something like this happens, now the ratings of VRMMOs will become worse again."

"Don't worry; these sprouts that were grown by 'The SEED' aren't so weak that they'll wilt because of this. Right now, these countless sprouts are gathering to become a towering giant tree that can match the World Tree. Really, I don't know which guy released that program, but it really changed everything!"

Sinon noticed Kirito briefly stiffening upon hearing those words, but before she could think further about it Kikuoka raised from his chair stopping her train of thought.

"Sorry but it's about time for me to leave, there's really lots of things to handle."

"Sorry for troubling you." Sinon said while Kirito merely nodded his head.

"No need to be so kind. It was my negligence that caused both of you to be in danger. I'll notify you if I get some new information." He said while fixing his glasses, their shine temporally hiding his eyes before he left.

"Who is that guy? He called himself an officer of Internal Affairs Ministry...but somehow...that doesn't sound right." Sinon said upon confirming Kikuoka had really left.

"I can't say for sure. While it's certain that he's under the VR world Management sector, at least for now, I believe he may have some connection with the Self Defense Force." Kirito answered as they left the Café.

"But, even if that person has some relationship with the defense ministry, why must he investigate VRMMOs? They shouldn't have any relationship with each other right?" Sinon said in confusion.

"I'm not sure. While VRMMOs could be adapted to train troops I get the feeling that that's not it." He replied, a thoughtful look on his place.

Dismissing the topic from her mind Sinon looked at the corner Kikuoka had just turned, a shiver coursing through her spine.

"No offense Kirito, but his cheerful attitude is downright creepy." She said apologetically, fearing Kirito may take offence to her words about his acquaintance.

"No problem, those are my thoughts exactly." He replied with a smile on his face. "So how are you dealing with everything that happened? Finding out most of your world view was wrong can't have been easy."

"It's alright. While I admit I never expected something like this to happen to me Argo and the others seen nice enough." She replied with a smile, happy he was concerned about her. "The fact my mom is getting better is proof enough that I made the right choice. And besides, if you yourself are a Devil then they really can't be that bad." She finished with a teasing smile.

"That's good, Argo may act strangely or like she doesn't care sometimes, but I assure you she is a good person." He said while rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"I got that. What about your [King]? You were going to meet her today to tell her what happened right?"

It was for but an instance, but Sinon could swear that Kirito flinched upon hearing her question.

"Everything is fine, in the end she was really understanding about it." He replied with a clearly fake smile.

Dropping the subject since it was clear Kirito really didn't want to talk about it, Sinon decided it was time to leave.

"Got to go Kirito, Argo wants to meet me. She said I need to get a crash course to get up to speed with the rest of the Peerage." She said as she started to leave. "I owe you one Kirito, if you need help just ask."

"I distinctly remember you helping me yourself with that bow of yours, so I'll say we are even, but the feeling is appreciated." He replied with a smile before leaving himself.

Watching the black clad Devil turning the corner and disappearing from view, Sinon felt her smile widen even more.

She remembered everything he had done for her, showing her what strength truly wass, helping her find out who she really was and even enabling her the chance to help her mother and start a new, if unusual, life.

'_No Kirito, we are not even, but one day we will be.'_ She thought has she started to walk. '_To accept all my past will likely take some time, especially in this weird new world. Even so, I like this current world.'_

'_In sure my life will have many hardships from today onwards, and the path in front of me will have lots of thorns. But I believe that I can continue to walk on.'_

Stopping to look back at where he had disappeared she felt her smile turning into a determined smirk.

'_And someday when you need my help I'll be there, then I can say we are even.'_

* * *

Walking towards Kuoh academy Kirito wondered what Rias could want to talk about to summon the entire Peerage. But he wasn't worried, the tone of the message he had receive was bright and cheerful, if with a hint of mischief, so he was sure it wasn't anything serious.

A couple of days had passed ever since his little crusade against 'Death Gun' and while inwardly he was worried by the fact PoH and his lackeys had escaped he was happy everyone had come out of the mess alright.

'_Although, Issei did look awfully pale the other day.'_ He idly thought, remembering Issei weird actions and his awfully nervous answers when he asked if anything was wrong with Asuna at his side.

He even thought he might have gotten ill, if not for the fact he lived with Asia, and he knew the devil nun would never allow that to happen.

'_It's probably nothing.'_ After-all Issei himself said he was fine, before bolting away.

But before he could consider any further about the Peerage's only [Pawn] strange behavior, his train of thought was brought to a halt by an object colliding with his back with impressive force.

Taking a couple of steps forward in order to prevent his face from meeting the pavement Kirito felt a pair of small hands sneaking around his shoulders for support. He knew exactly who this was.

"Argo, what are you doing?" He asked with a calm he didn't feel.

"Silly question Kii-bou, I'm obviously getting a piggyback ride!" Argo cheerfully answered, unminding of the stares they were receiving as she moved herself into a more comfortable position.

Fighting down a sigh of frustration Kirito restarted his way towards the Club room, knowing that allowing Argo to know how embarrassed he was feeling would only encourage her in the future.

"That's not what I mean and you know it. What are you doing in Kuoh academy?"

"Can't I visit my favorite reincarnated Devil?" She said with a teasing smile. "But if you must know, I got a meeting scheduled with Rias. Besides how can I convince you and Aa-chan to come to my Peerage without seeing both of you regularly?"

Upon hearing those words Kirito paused for a moment before resuming walking. When he first heard her say that while playing GGO Kirito had thought Argo had been merely teasing him, but now hearing them again in the real world made him see that Argo really meant them.

"Why do you want us so much in your Peerage? I mean we don't even have Sacred Gears or anything like that."

"You still got much to learn Kii-bou." She cheerfully replied from her perch on his back. "While I'll freely admit that I was slightly surprised neither you nor Aa-chan had Sacred Gears, a Sacred Gear is not the be all end all of a Devil's power."

"While Sacred Gears can be exceedingly powerful tools, in the end they are just that, tools. They grant a great boon of power and experience at the beginning, but most users become overly reliant on them and long term don't really amount to that much."

"Even the Longinus, as mindbogglingly powerful as they are, have that very same pitfall. You only have to look at the facts, in theory a Longinus user could kill a god and yet in history there isn't a single case of that happening, to see that none of their past users ever reached their full potential." She continued in the same cheerful tone.

"Besides, experience and raw power are easier things to fix on the long run if you really apply yourself to it, but instincts, resolve and intuition, now that's another story! And that is something you and Aa-chan have to spare!"

"And let me tell you a little secret." She whispered, inching closer to his ear. "Sirzechs Lucifer Peerage, indisputably the strongest Peerage in existence, doesn't have a single Sacred Gear user in it."

Thinking about this Kirito could kind of see what Argo was talking about. Of course that didn't mean he was going to accept her offer to swap Peerages, he valued his sanity far too much to risk having Argo as his [King].

Seeing the old school building appearing on the distance Kirito decided to ask something that had been bothering him ever since finding out Argo was a Devil.

"Argo I don't want to be rude or anything, but why didn't your family get you out of SAO when they found out what was happening?"

A long silence followed in which Kirito wondered if he had crossed a line, before being shattered by a long sigh from Argo.

"It's complicated. Say what you want about Kayaba but he was a genius. The electromagnetic charge the Nerve-Gear could produce was enough to seriously harm even a Devil. Combining that with a stupidly oversensitive trigger mechanism and the fact that high level spells have the tendency to destroy electronic equipment and there wasn't much that could be done to directly remove the helmet." She calmly explained, jumping from his back to walk at his side.

"They really couldn't use a spell to get the helmet off you?" Kirito asked dubiously.

"At best a spell targeting my Nerve-Gear would overload it and fry its circuitry causing me minor damage, at worst it would cause a domino effect that would fry the whole server causing all Nerve Gears to shut down and kill their users." Argo deadpanned as Kirito flinched at the image.

"In the end the source of magics problem with complex technology is stupidly simple. As Archimedes once said, two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Circuits of active machines and electronics are filled with electricity, so if you add the energy of a spell to it the system literally short-circuits due to the excess energy."

"There is a reason that before Beelzebub-sama appeared and started to modernize our society by creating items that could function using only demonic power that Devils as a whole had absolutely no idea about technology."

Kirito couldn't help but blink at the explanation. He really hadn't expected that the reason that complex machines failed around spells to be something as simple as an overload, although that last part did explain why he didn't have to recharge the cell phone Rias had given him.

"So with removing the helmet out, they redirected their resources to finding Kayaba and forcing him to end SAO. Genius or not, there aren't many things that can escape the eyes and ears of my family when they decide to learn about it." She said with evident pride.

"What went wrong?" He asked, noticing the rueful smile on her face.

"Now that is where it gets creepy. Nothing went wrong. He was incredible well hidden, taking my family six whole months to find him, quite a notable achievement I assure you, but upon reaching his hiding place there was nothing there but his body, and as they say, the dead tell no tales."

Smiling at the look he was sporting Argo continued her tale.

"Yup, Kayaba was dead for over a year before the end of SAO, makes one wonder what Heatcliff really was."

Kirito only nodded at her words, his mind drifting back to his battle against a crimson armored swordsman of immense skill in a floating castle and the words traded with him atop the World-tree.

"So with that line of investigation also being no good they decided to simply wait. My family was fairly certain they could heal any damage caused to my brain should the worst happen but they weren't willing to risk it needlessly and since to forcefully remove the Nerve-gear would have the same effect they choose to wait it out."

Her cheerful smile back in place she turned around, walking backwards so she could look him in the eye.

"It may sound strange from a human point of view, but considering the fact that Devils view the passage of time in a very different light than humans it makes sense. Since we easily live centuries, for a Devil a couple of years isn't really that long. So with the exception of moving me to a safe location they let the situation naturally end without interference."

Kirito started to nod his understanding before the last part registered in his brain.

"Wait what do you mean moving you to a safe location? Why wouldn't you be safe in the hospital?"

"I thought you would have already realized this due to the mess between Rias and Raiser and the attempted arranged marriage, but politically speaking Devil society is a really cutthroat place." She said with a far too cheerful smile.

"In a nutshell, while the rule of the Four Great Satans is pretty much uncontested, the remaining ancient families and clans are in a near perpetual cold war of influence and power. So me being trapped in SAO was kept a closely guarded secret so no one could use it against my family or worse attack me while I was in a vulnerable state."

"Attack you?" Kirito exclaimed in surprise, stopping in his tracks.

"It could happen." Argo nonchalantly replied. "Especially considering the more traditionalists parts of Devil society really don't like the Dantalions."

"Why is that?"

"They believe we are corrupting the old ways and disrupting ancient traditions. Meaning we don't listen to absurd nonsense that should better be left in the Middle Ages and adapted to the modern times." She said with a fanged smirk. "According to grandfather, when he gave my father, who is a pureblooded Devil, permission to marry my mother, who is a reincarnated Devil, some of the clans nearly rioted saying we were contaminating the blood line."

Kirito simply stared, his incredulous face making Argo grin grow even larger.

"Stop dilly-dallying Kii-bou, one should not leave a lady waiting." She teased without stopping walking.

Shaking his head Kirito followed, realizing in bemusement he still didn't know why Argo was meeting Rias.

* * *

Looking around the Occult Research Club room, Kirito couldn't help but feel a slight sense of nostalgia. The presence of so many able fighters that he knew he could trust with every fiber of his being was something he hadn't felt in a long time.

With Argo, Klein, Lizbeth and Silica in the room alongside all of Rias Peerage, Sinon and the red haired girl who had presented herself as Megumi Hikari, Argo's [Queen] and a member from her Peerage from before SAO, Kirito felt as if he was back in one the many raid meetings he had attended as the 'Blackswordsman' in SAO.

"This tea is truly delicious, my compliments." Argo cheerfully said from her seat on the couch taking a sip from her cup, unknowingly shattering the image in Kirito's mind.

"You have my thanks, Dantalion-sama." Akeno daintily replied from her spot standing next to Rias.

"Please feel free to call me Tsukino, or even Argo, that's what my friends call me anyway." She said with a grin.

Lowering her own cup Rias looked at the Auburn headed girl sitting in front of her with a smile.

"I must say Tsukino-san, after reading your proposal I found myself really wanting to meet you. While I agree that it's a very sound and practical idea what has prompted it? After-all while not being enemies the Dantalion and the Gremory also have never been allies."

Upon hearing those words Kirito found his interest picked, whatever Argo had come here to talk about it seemed to have a lot more weight than merely trying to get him and Asuna into her Peerage.

"It's quite simple actually, you have recently acquired two pieces whose opinion I greatly trust, so when they told me about you in quite a favorable light it did wonders to allow me to consider this." She said with a smile and a small nod towards Kirito and Asuna.

Seeing the look everyone in the room was suddenly giving them Kirito couldn't help but smile sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head.

"Adding that with your recent stunt against Raiser Phenex. Congratulations by the way in thwarting your arranged marriage and tweaking the noose of those old fools." She said while raising her tea cup as in a toast. "You and to a far lesser extend the Sitri heiress have made quite a few waves against the traditionalists by refusing your marriages, when you consider that with my family policy regarding that faction you could say that my proposal becomes quite natural."

"Indeed. What you say is true and this arrangement would be very beneficial to all parties involved in the long run. I already spoke with Sona and she also agrees with this assessment." Rias said while her smile took a far more predatory nature.

"So Heiress Gremory do we have an accord?" Argo asked with a fanged smirk.

"We most certainly do, Heiress Dantalion. And please allow me to be the first to welcome you and your Peerage into Kuoh academy." Rias calmly replied.

"W-What?" Kirito found himself asking before he could stop the impulse. The twin smirks of amusement that both Argo and Rias where sporting only making him feel even more embarrassed.

"It's quite simple Kii-bou, we are joining Kuoh academy while simultaneously creating an alliance between our Peerages." She happily explained with her ever present grin. "You didn't really believe you would escape me that easily did you?"

"Oh before I forget, Liz-chan do you have them with you?" Argo said turning towards a grinning Lizbeth.

"But of course!" She exclaimed, walking forward while taking out a small box from her back.

"I hope you don't mind Rias-san, but Liz-chan has been working on this for a while and with the little mess the other day, well I believe Kii-bou and Aa-chan will need this sooner rather than later."

Rias silently nodded, curiosity clear in her eyes as Lizbeth approached him and Asuna while opening the box.

Inside there were three silver rings covered in runes. Looking at Lizbeth with confusion he wondered what this was about.

"Just pick it up and fuel some demonic power to it." Lizbeth said, practically jumping in place in excitement.

Shrugging his shoulders he picked up one of the rings and did just that. Only to drop it as he jumped back in surprise as a black sword appeared as of thin air.

"A storage space spell on the rings, impressive. But I guess I shouldn't expect any less from a Dantalion." Rias said smiling at Kirito's reaction.

Smiling sheepishly Kirito quickly grabbed both the ring and the sword from the ground, the familiar weight an appearance of the blade immediately reminding him of another sword.

"Elucidator." Kirito mumbled quietly in slight shock, before noticing Asuna wielding a rapier by his side that looked exactly as the 'Windflouret' she had favored early on in SAO.

His eyes immediately locked into the remaining ring and the broad smile on Lizbeth face, a sudden feeling telling him he knew what was inside it.

As he picked it up his suspicious was confirmed, as a translucent greenish-blue blade appeared on his hands. 'Dark Repulser'.

"This way you and Aa-chan won't have to worry about being unarmed any longer." Argo cheerfully proclaimed. "But I must say, Liz-chan really impressed me, even with her Sacred Gear I didn't expect her skills to pick up so fast."

"You made these?" He asked rising an eyebrow to the broadly smiling blacksmith before him.

"Yup, consider them a gift." She said raising her right arm which after a quick flash of light was sporting a golden bracelet covered in complex markings. "Remember when I said I would one day craft you a magical sword? Well with this, one day that will be true!"

"Both Lizbeth and Klein have Sacred Gears, that's why I was kind of surprised neither of you had them, what with the wannabe samurai having one." Argo teased, completely ignoring the protest Klein was making in the background.

"These are incredible Lizbeth, thank you." Kirito said while swinging the swords in practiced movements, happy to feel their familiar weight in his hands.

"You are welcome and as I said consider them a gift, the first gift of our courtship!" She happily exclaimed, making Kirito stumble upon his movements as he appeared to choke on air.

"I let you go since you and Asuna are so obviously in love with each other, but now as Devils that is no longer an issue! I have no problems in allowing Asuna to be the first wife; she would make an awesome sister after-all!" Lizbeth said without waiting for Kirito's reply, a happily nodding Silica by her side.

"I thought you knew Kii-bou, Devil society not only permits polygamy, but after reaching a certain level of power it's actually encouraged for Devils to have multiple wives." Argo mercilessly teased, deeply enjoying the completely baffled look on Kirito's face.

Quickly looking around the silent room, Kirito noted Klein and Kiba silently smirking his way from a corner, a shocked Sinon standing by the side with a faint blush in her cheeks, a completely unperturbed Koneko sitting next to a deeply puzzled Yui, while Akeno and Rias were daintily covering their mouths as if to stop laughing.

But before he could finish his inspection of the room a hand on his shoulder made him turn around, immediately taking a step back upon doing so as he saw what was behind him.

Tears in his eyes as his face somehow simultaneously conveyed both utter loathing and deep respect, Issei solemnly grabbed his shoulder.

"You may be a thrice cursed pretty boy, but even so I must congratulate this achievement." Issei said amidst his tears, his voice completely serious. "Let's us walk the path of the Harem King together!"

His mouth opening and closing without making a single sound Kirito fruitlessly tried to reboot his brain so that the world could start making sense again. But his efforts were brought to a halt as he heard a chilling voice from behind him.

"Kirito-kun, is there something you haven't been telling me?"

'_I have a bad feeling about this.'_ He thought as he slowly turned around before promptly freezing on the spot.

Standing before him, enveloped in wisps of demonic blue power, a serene smile on her face, Asuna patiently waited for his answer.

"Well Kirito-kun, what's your answer?" She politely asked as a felling of doom started to well in the pit of his stomach.

"Ara, ara. It seems this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Tsukino-san." He heard Akeno say from somewhere in the room, her voice sounding slightly impressed.

'_A really bad feeling about this.' _He thought, his eyes locked into place by the deceivingly serene smile on his wife's face.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Well this is it; next chapter shall begin the Kokabiel/ Excalibur arc.

Surprisingly enough the hardest part of writing this chapter was coming up with a title. I seriously couldn't come up with anything up till the very last moment.

I must admit that I myself am still undecided if Kirito will go down the harem route or not, but in the meanwhile be sure that there will be jokes and difficult situations he will have to deal with regarding the possibility!

So Argo Peerage at the moment has been revealed and joined Kuoh academy, I'm also adding a brief summary about her members and their SGs at the end of the chapter.

I really want some input to both the pieces placement in Argo's Peerage and the SGs I created, please tell me what you think about them in your reviews.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.

**Argo's Peerage:**

Megumi Hikari [Queen]: Argo not having a single piece before SAO was unrealistic, especially considering how canon shows us Rias getting Akeno at a young age, so I made an OC to fill that role. I admit that I'm kind of nervous about it, this being my first OC with a more direct role to the main story, even if she won't have that much of an impact to the plot, so pleases feel free to give me your opinion about her in future chapters. I will be loosely basing her personality on Holo 'the Wise' from 'Spice and Wolf.'

Hikari won't have a sacred gear, but that is due to some plans I already have for her, but don't worry I have no intentions on creating a 'Mary Sue'.

Sinon [Bishop]: As many of you realized at the end of the last chapter GGO's greatest sniper is now part of Argo's Peerage. I felt that the [Bishop] piece is perfect for Sinon, since it's traditionally a ranged attacker piece.

Her sacred gear is the [Moonlit Sniper].

Lizbeth[Rook]: She received the [Rook] piece due to her being a master mace user, meaning she is a heavy hitter who focused in strength and vitality. In other words she played as a Tank in SAO, aka [Rook].

Giving her a Sacred Gear, [Enhancing Band], is easily explained by the canon side story 'Sound of Heart, sound of Hammer'. In this side story she upgrades both of Kirito's swords to +40 and it's said she had yet to fail in any of his upgrades.

Canon tells us that no matter the skill of the blacksmith there is a random element that prevents a 100% success chance. So her unprecedented row of successes alongside her mental chant of 'Please make it work!' made me twist things so that she had an SG that would partially activate due to her emotions and skew the chances in her favor while forging.

Klein [Pawn] 6 pieces: The reason why I gave Klein the [Pawn] piece was the same reason why I gave him his sacred gear, [Brave's Edge], that being that I can't help but see the similarities between him and Issei.

Both are friendly characters who try to befriend everyone, are extremely reliable when the situation gets rough but are laid back and even slightly foolish the rest of the time but would do anything for a friend in need. They even share the fact they are both perverts! (If you don't believe me go back to the very start of SAO, two seconds after learning about Kirito having a sister he was already asking about her with intentions to date her, even thought he knew absolutely nothing about her.)

While nowhere near the solid reasoning I used to give Sinon and Lyzbeth their sacred gears, that likeness alongside he being a clearer guild leader who managed to take his entire guild to the end without any casualties made me give him a SG.

Silica [Pawn] 2 pieces: In the end I refrained from giving Silica a sacred gear due to canon making it abundantly clear that she tamed Pina due to a combination of her warmhearted nature and pure luck.

I gave her two pieces due to the fact that at the end of her side story she promises Kirito to one day reach the frontlines. Since it happened months before the ending of Aincrad I assume she was nearing the clearer level by that point, raising her combat value.

**Sacred Gears:**

[Moonlit Sniper]: A ranged SG that gathers moonlight into a solid beam of light before firing it like an arrow. It also boosts the user awareness and sight allowing him to see faraway targets and keep up with fast moving objects as if seeing things in slow-motion.

As it gathers its powers from the moon it's far stronger at night and it's affected by the lunar cycle, being at max power on the full moon and at half power on the new moon. It can be used during the day, but at a reduced power.

[Enhancing Band]: A support based SG that enhances the durability and natural qualities of objects that the user touches. In other words it allows the user to raise the stats of an object far beyond its natural limits, allowing for instance a panel of wood to harden to the strength of steel.

While having little direct combat value, it's a perfect tool for a blacksmith, who upon enhancing the materials as he forges can produce objects of far superior quality than normally possible.

[Brave's Edge]: A sword based SG that slightly raises the strength and endurance of the user and those in his immediate vicinity. The sharpness of the blade is a direct reflection of the user emotions and energy, in other words the more determined the user feels and the more power he has the sharper the sword shall be.


	17. Chapter 17 - A Devil's Interesting Life

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, regarding the reviews about the possible harem, as I said at the ending of the last chapter, I myself don't know if I'll do it or not. My plan at the moment is to slowly develop the idea for the joke value and humor situations it will provide and see how it develops and fits with the plotline.

If I believe it's developing nicely and without causing characters to go OOC or strain the plot then I believe I'll do it, after all this is happening in the DxD universe.

But if I believe that it's straining the plot or forcing boundaries, a distinct possibility since Asuna really won't like the idea of anyone going after _her_ Kirito, them it will remain simply a joke.

So don't worry, it will still be many chapters before I come to a decision but when it does come to it, it will be the choice that strengths the plot and better fits the storyline. So I'm not going to simply go and do it for the hell of it, nor will I deny it from the start, I'll carefully consider all pros and cons and then make my decision.

Hope, that answer your questions.

Thirdly, as some of you may have noticed, I started my second story, Devil Arts Offline, a series of Omakes and Side Stories about this story. I just want to reassure you all that this story will retain my main focus and will be updated with the same regularity as always, save unavoidable IRL circumstances.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**A Devil's Interesting Life**

"So, do you have any more questions?" Argo happily asked from her seat in an outdoor café, her signature grin firmly into place as she observed her companion.

"That's a lot to take in." The dark haired girl said from her seat on the other side of the table, a hint of tiredness entering her voice. "I already suspected Onii-chan was involved into something dangerous and slightly shady, but this is really unbelievable."

Shaking her head as if to clear her mind Kirigaiya Suguha fixed her gaze into Argo's smiling face, a hint of suspicion clear in her eyes."Why are you telling me all this? Even when I confronted Onii-chan that night after that whole mess, he only told me a fraction of this."

"Various reasons, first you and your family are involved into this, so I believe you have a right to this information; after all, like it or not, future situations may affect you even if you remain ignorant, not knowing would only leave you even more vulnerable." Argo calmly replied as she idly sipped her iced coffee.

"Second, you picked my interest. You may not realize this but what you did that night was impressive. Let's just say that I was curious to see if some things simply run in the family, and watching your reactions to the truth that hides behind the apparent normalcy of the world was an excellent way to gauge you and take your measure."

"And finally, while your brother has a lot of qualities and is quite skillful in some areas, explaining things in a clear and concise way truly isn't one of them, so I thought it best to tell you them myself, least you end up making some seriously wrong conclusions due to faulty information ." She said laying down her glass, her smile morphing into a smirk.

Letting out a small huff of amusement Suguha relaxed slightly on her seat, the wariness leaving her eyes.

"So basically, you set up this meeting with me simply because you were curious?" She asked with a tinge of amusement. "Have you never heard that old saying, the curiosity killed the cat?"

"Never where much of a cat person anyways and besides, that saying is wrong. Stupidity killed the cat, curiosity was framed." Argo replied in a serious tone of voice, as if imparting a great truth, a piece of otherworldly knowledge about the very workings of the universe.

Although the huge grin in her face completely broke any sagely feelings her words could have carried.

"And besides, poking out things most would rather let lay is a perfect recipe for an interesting life."

"I'm starting to see why Onii-chan is so wary about you; I doubt he can indulge in his usual laid back habits when you are around." Suguha replied in mirth, now far more at ease about this meeting.

"I'll admit your offer is tempting, if only because I'm tired to watch Kazuto from afar having no way of reaching out to where he is. It truly would be nice to be close to him, to be able to help him if he needs it."

"But why are you offering this to me? I'm nothing but an ordinary person after all." She finished in a slightly pained tone of voice.

"It really runs in the family." Argo mumbled in amusement, her eyes shining with mirth.

"Suguha, do you know the creep you took down that night? The armed idiot you wasted in three moves flat? Even if he was a complete push over by my species standards, the fact remains that he was a reincarnated Devil and so was far stronger than most humans could ever be. A nice comparison would be with an Olympic athlete, and you took him out without even breaking a sweat."

Seeing the considering look Suguha was sporting Argo pressed on, knowing that just a few more pushes would be enough.

"You are an accomplished Kendo practitioner, having made all the way to the quarter-finals last year at a really young age. And those skills are only complimented by your ALO knowledge."

"What does knowledge about a game has to do with anything? And besides I'm really nothing that great in ALO." Suguha replied.

"The numbers disagree; miss strongest Sylph in the game and fastest flyer of all nine races." Argo teasingly answered. "As for what gaming knowledge has to do with anything? You would be surprised how that knowledge can be useful in this particular line of work."

"Point in fact I fully expect that in a few years after the, at this moment still fairly restricted, knowledge of how useful virtual reality can be for training, there will be quite a lot of interest from the underworld into the gaming community." She stated in a matter of fact way.

"So believe me when I say that you are far from ordinary, and that with the right training I believe you would do just fine."

Leaning back into her chair, hands clasped together and a huge grin decorating her face Argo stared at the musing expression on Suguha's face.

"Not to mention I'm really looking forward to how Kirito will react to this, it should be very interesting." She said, practically radiating smugness.

Seeing the growing glint of determination in Suguha's eyes, Argo's smirk grew far more predatory in nature.

'_I wonder how this will change the board. After all, we live in such interesting times, don't we Kii-bou?'_ She cheerfully thought while happily finishing her drink.

"So allow me to repeat myself, any more questions?"

* * *

'_It's official; I probably did something unforgivable in a past life.'_ Kirito thought with a sense of calm and detachment that slightly surprised him, as he ducked under a lightning fast sword strike.

Blocking the second strike that immediately followed with his left sword, he promptly delivered a counter with the dark blade grasped on his right hand, only to see his white clad opponent escaping his strike with such speed as to leave a blurry afterimage in her wake.

'_Either that or I'm really under the effect of that ancient Chinese curse.'_ He thought only half in jest, swiping both his swords in an intricate sword dance to block the flurry of thrusts that were besieging him from all sides. _'It would definitely explain all the weirdness that makes up most of my life.'_

Dodging with a quick roll to the side as his opponent's rapier seemed to materialize at the exact point his chest had been occupying a fraction of a second before, he brought both his blades hard against the ground causing it to explode outwards in a wave of rock and dirt and allowing him to regain his footing as Asuna leapt backwards to avoid the flying debris.

'_If that's the case whoever cursed me should be very satisfied, my life is definitely interesting.'_ He thought with sarcasm, darting forward as demonic energy enveloped his blades in order to put Asuna in the defensive before she could restart her onslaught.

After finally managing to explain to Asuna his innocence in the situation that occurred earlier in the occult research club room, an action that hadn't been helped in the slightest by Argo's teasing and joking, his wife had still been extremely angry.

So in order to allow her to release some of her anger and frustration Kirito had proposed them to spar, hoping the action would help calm her down.

But now looking at the completely destroyed clearing they usually used for training and the extremely focused glint present on her eyes as her rapier danced and weaved around his own blades, relentlessly seeking him out, he was starting to second guess the wisdom of his proposal.

Hitting the ground in front of him with an upwards swing holding enough force to send a wave of debris forward, he darted to the side, trusting the dust cloud that resulted to obscure his movements for the precious moments he needed to close the distant between them.

'_It really was a good idea to follow Koneko's suggestion and ward the area.'_ He thought while quickly moving one of his swords towards his back to block Asuna's attack when she predicted his plan. _'Otherwise the police would have already flocked here due to the noise alone.'_

His line of thought was brought to a halt as he was forced to use his entire focus to predict, block and divert Asuna's ever speeding barrage, her rapier nothing but a blur of light in her hands as she searched for weak points in his defense, her quicksilver movements pushing his ability to predict her attacks to the limit.

Seeing an opportunity he sidestepped Asuna's next attack by the barest of margins while simultaneously hitting her rapier with his left blade, adding more momentum to it and diverting the blade's path, the combined energy of the thrusting rapier alongside his own blow being enough to force Asuna to take one more step forward least she were to unbalance herself.

Striking with his right blade Kirito could feel himself relaxing with the knowledge the spar was just about over as the sword swiftly flew towards Asuna's torso, knowing she wouldn't have the time to dodge at such close quarters.

But his relief was short lived, for just as the sword was about to hit, Asuna's left hand darted forward, a dazzlingly blue sphere of water firmly held in her palm blocking the sword strike head on and diverting it long enough to allow her to disengage.

Despite the whole mess that had lead to this situation, Kirito couldn't help the impressed smile that was spreading through his face upon seeing the maneuver.

Asuna had briefly shown him her accomplishments regarding the ALO spells after the whole 'Death Gun' situation had ended, but even so it was still impressive to see her using it to escape his strike.

Lowering himself closer to the ground he observed his opponent, his left sword crossing his chest while remaining parallel to the ground and his right sword level with his head and pointing towards Asuna, ready to react at the smallest hint of movement.

Asuna's face had relaxed slightly as the spar continued into the night, even if the light of determination in her eyes was still as strong as ever.

'_Guess this wasn't such a bad idea after-all.'_

Looking at her stern white clad form calmly analyzing his defensive stance, rapier raised at the ready in front of her body, her breath even despite the prolonged battle and her chestnut hair freely flowing in the night breeze he could freely admit that his wife made quite an impressive sight.

His musings where cut short as he noticed a slight tensioning on her legs, it was but the barest of movements, a slight tilt of her weight to her right side, but with Asuna he knew that it would be all the warning he would get.

Darting his left sword to his side to block a strike that had yet to be even started he couldn't help but smile slightly as the sound of steel hitting steel resounded, as his blade meet the resistant of a rapier that hadn't been there a fraction of a second earlier.

And so it continued into the night, a relentless assault clashing with an unyielding defense. His power being nullified be her speed and careful use of her newly acquired water spells to block and divert his blows, while her swiftness was blocked by his reflexes and awaiting swords.

Finally it came to an end. As they clashed, their swords forming a web of light around them, Asuna suddenly reversed her momentum with a graceful twist, closing in on his left side with the swiftness and surety of a hunting cheetah.

Responding quickly to the unexpected maneuver Kirito moved his blade to block the strike, only to feel absolutely no pressure on her rapier as their blades met.

Looking with incredulity at the rapier that had been sent flying away with the clash he wasted a precious second to understand what had happened, a second Asuna fully used to get inside his defense and hit him straight into the chest with a sphere of pressurized water the size of a basketball.

Being taken by complete surprise due to her action of abandoning her sword in order to hit him, Kirito was thrown backwards with impressive force before he could react, flying through the air before hitting a tree at the edge of the clearing.

But before he could even gasp for breath two simultaneous strikes hit him on his arms forcing him to drop his swords.

Regaining his senses he attempted to jump forward in order to draw Asuna into a hand to hand contest, only to be halted by a very familiar black blade being pressed against his neck.

Following the length of the black blade, Kirito looked into the apparently very pleased expression of his wife.

"I forfeit." He finally said while silently vowing to spare some of his training time to learn a few spells, he could see a lot of applications for them in live combat.

"Very well, it was a good spar Kirito-kun." Asuna replied with a faint smile while offering him his blade back, apparently far more relaxed than when they had started.

"So, are you okay now?" He asked before he could properly think about it. A sudden spray of pressurized water hitting him straight in the face was his answer.

"It's a start." He heard her say from somewhere above him as he sputtered from the water jet, a slight tone of amusement clear in her voice.

* * *

"Man you really can't get a break, can you Kirito?" Klein half joked, half stated as he walked alongside Kirito towards Kuoh academy.

"And whose fault is that? Couldn't you have at least warned me that Argo was going to pull something like this?" Kirito asked tiredly, as while Asuna wasn't blaming him for the situation she was still highly displeased by the whole mess.

"And risk her changing targets to me? Sorry Kirito you are a great friend, but not a chance, survival instincts and all that." Klein replied cheerfully.

Staring flatly at his unhelpful friend Kirito tried to be annoyed by his nonchalant reply but found he simply couldn't do it, after all, he would probably have done the same had their roles been reversed.

"And is not like I escaped unscratched, I mean seriously, where she gets these ideas I'll never know." He continued as his voice took a disgruntled note while gesturing to his clothes. "I'm not teacher material; I never even thought about such a career, how the hell am I going to pretend to be a PE teacher?

Looking at his friend dressed in the formal clothing of a Kuoh academy instructor Kirito had to fight back a smile. For in his opinion Klein's disgruntled expression and fit body was already doing all he needed to do to pass as an unenthused gym teacher.

"If you want I could always change things and make you into the school janitor." A cheerful voice proclaimed from behind them.

Turning around Kirito looked into the fanged smirk of the source of this current mess.

"Hello Kii-bou, how are you doing?" Argo happily asked, falling in place beside him and ignoring Klein's excuses about needing to go to the teacher's lounge to prepare for class.

"Argo." He dryly answered, entering into the school building.

"Oh my Kii-bou, you seen distressed, did something happen?" She teased, her smirk firmly into place.

"Very funny, this whole mess is your fault and you know it. I know Lizbeth and Silica; no way would they just go and do something this outrageous by themselves, so you must have put the idea on their heads."

"What can I say; apparently I'm a good influence on them." Argo shamelessly replied, completely ignoring Kirito's incredulous stare as they took their seats next to Asuna and Megumi in the classroom.

"You did that on purpose didn't you?" Asuna dryly asked, having heard the ending of their conversation.

"Of course I did Aa-chan." Was her nonchalant reply. "You can thank me later."

The incredulous silence her words brought where only broken the faint sounds of amusement coming from Megumi's shaking form.

"Thank you?! What do you mean by that?!" Asuna sharply asked after recovering from her surprise at Argo's unexpected statement.

"You see Aa-chan, all I did was give them a few nudges in the right direction in order to come clean with you two. If they didn't, all it would have changed is that then they would keep secretly pining for Kirito while resenting themselves for it, since they would be both envying you and feeling shame for eyeing your husband and so betraying your trust." Argo calmly explained, her no nonsense tone bringing Asuna's starting argument to a halt. "That of course could easily strain your friendship and could even eventually lead to its end."

"This way that is nipped in the bud, there is no strain and everyone is aware of the situation." Argo continued, a grin growing on her face as she looked at their incredulous stares.

"In this scenario the worst that can happen is for you to say no to their advances, oh and by the way as the first wife you have veto powers upon any new ones, not that you would need them, we all know who wear the pants in your relationship."

"You may be right." Asuna grudgingly answered after a moment of stunned incredulity. "But even so, I don't appreciate the idea of others coming after my husband, especially they being my friends."

"It's quite natural to feel jealous for your mate." Megumi piped in from the side, a mischievous smile on her face. "I'm quite sure he is glad you are so protective of him, but who knows, in a couple of years you may want to experiment a little, wouldn't that be interesting Kirito-san?"

Asuna simply stared at Argo's [Queen], disbelief clear in her face. By her side Kirito wasn't faring any better, but even amidst the shock of the topic they were discussing, he still had enough wits to keep his mouth closed.

'_There is no possible way that answering that question can end well.'_ He thought while fighting down a shiver upon seeing Megumi's predatory grin.

"Anyway, stop worrying about it so much. My way you got to keep your friends, down the line you may get some trustworthy partners to help keep our dear little idiot in line and I get to have loads of fun watching Kirito squirm. It's a win situation no matter how you look at it."

"That's not the point!" Asuna replied in a tired tone of voice. "At least tell me this is the last of your stunts concerning our marriage."

"Aa-chan, you wound me. Do you really think I would do such a thing?" She said, a large predatory smile on her face.

"Argo, what did you do?" Kirito asked, a note of worry entering his voice upon seeing her expression.

"What and Ruin the surprise?" Argo said practically radiating glee.

But before either Kirito or Asuna could question her any further, the teacher entered the room, forcing them to drop the subject for the moment.

"Listen up class, we have a new transfer student, I would like you all to help her adapt and feel welcome to the class." The professor said with a kind smile towards the class before turning to the door. "Please come in and introduce yourself."

Looking at the even larger smile on Argo's face, Kirito felt a sudden weight on his stomach, before a tired sigh escaped his lips. He knew that this was unmistakably the surprise Argo had mentioned.

Bracing himself he looked at the door, determined to not give Argo the reaction she was probably expecting.

'_I can deal with this, after all how bad can it be?' _He grimly thought, firming his resolve for what was to come.

Only to have his resolved crushed under a wave of shock and confusion upon seeing the identity of the new transfer student.

"Greetings my name is Kirigaya Suguha, I like prating Kendo and my adoptive brother Kirigaya Kazuto, please treat me well." Kirito's adoptive sister said from the front of the classroom, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked Argo with a pained tone of voice.

Argo answering grim was so large that could only be classified as that of the cat that got the cream, swiped the canary and successfully blamed the whole mess on the dog.

"Why Kii-bou, I'm merely making your life more interesting!" She replied without a care in the world.

Kiroto simply dropped his head into his table upon hearing her reply, an audible groan escaping his lips, somehow feeling at the depths of his soul that this was just the beginning.

'_At the very least now I know who might have casted that ancient Chinese curse…'_ He thought with sarcasm, while wondering what else Argo would mess up before the week was over.

* * *

Looking around the living room of his house, Issei couldn't help but groan in embarrassment.

While at first he hadn't seen the problem of allowing the rest of the Peerage to meet at his house for the club activities while the wards of the old school building were renewed, especially considering the fact that Rias Buchou had been hugging him when she asked, now he could realize the huge mistake that had been.

For standing all around the living room, crowding all around an album his mother was cheerfully showing around, all his friends in the Peerage were looking at something every being deeply desire to keep secret at all costs, a secret that everyone wishes to keep locked away into the darkest hiding place possible in hopes it will never see the light ever again.

Baby pictures.

"And this is Issei learning to use the potty." His mother said, not noticing her son near a wall doing his best to be swallowed by the ground in embarrassment.

"He was adorable." Rias gleefully said, making Issei blush in response.

'_I really should have thought more about this…'_ He silently bemoaned, before looking at Rias looking at him with a smile on her face.

'_Them again Rias Buchou asked, and she was hugging me, with her oppai!' _He thought in a sudden burst of happiness, doing a complete one hundred eighty change on his mood.

Remembering the action of the last few days he couldn't fight the goofy grin that appeared on his face. He knew that the Gremory where extremely affectionate with their Peerage members, and that in all likelihood Rias hugging and caressing him was no different than her keeping a pet, but even so he was extremely happy for the attention.

'_Not to mention the lap pillows, can't forget the lap pillows.'_ He thought seriously, nodding sagely at the thought.

'_Now that I think about it, recently since after I took Asia to see that movie Rias Buchou has been doing those a lot more than usual. And their relationship has grown a little more competitive, I wonder why?'_ He thought in befuddlement, remembering the previous night where Asia demanded to sleep in his bed alongside Rias Buchou.

Looking at the Devil's nun smiling face as she cooed and awed at his baby pictures, he hoped their competitiveness was just a phase, while also hoping that the extra petting Rias had been giving him wasn't.

'_It's probably nothing important.'_ He decided, before cringing upon hearing his mother bring out a particularly embarrassing picture of his third birthday.

"I thought I had destroyed all copies of that one." He mumbled in despair, taking a look to confirm that indeed, it was the picture of his third birthday incident, the one involving himself, the birthday cake and a duck of all things. "Stupid duck…"

Averting his gaze to the side, he noticed Kirito giving him an smile of pained understanding, as if he knew exactly how he was feeling.

Normally having a thrice cursed pretty boy commiserating with him would only annoy him, but in the months he worked alongside Kirito in the Peerage he had come to see the [Rook] as some kind of friend.

He was a easy going and reliable fellow, not to mention that the requests where he worked alongside him would always result in a complete contract, so he would forgive him his good looks.

'_Of course he still deserves to be cursed like all pretty boys, but there is no way a fellow seeker of the path of the harem king can be all that bad.'_ He decided, returning a shining smile to the black clad [Rook], whose smiled was replaced by a look of confusion upon seeing Issei's reaction to his friendly gesture.

But before he could decide to start a conversation with his fellow believer of the righteous path a sudden intake of breath at his side caught his attention.

Turning around he saw the Peerage's other thrice cursed pretty boy intently looking at a picture depicting a very young looking Issei alongside one of his childhood friends, who unfortunately had moved off town shortly after the picture was taken.

"This sword…" Kiba quietly murmured, a strange note entering his voice and a hard glint taking over his eyes.

"What about it?" Issei asked in confusion, looking at the sword that was decorating the wall in the picture.

"That sword is a Holy Sword." Kiba answered, steel entering his words as his left hand clenched into a fist.

* * *

Amidst an endless sea of emptiness, an eternal void where distinctions like time and space simply had no meaning, a figure stood perfectly still.

So complete was his stillness that not even the rise and fall of his chest could be seen, the figure having long learned to abandon such unnecessary movements in his new life.

And so it stayed amidst the void, his eyes intently watching the myriad of screens that appeared to be simply floating before his form, the only objects that could be seen as far as the eyes could see.

Silently analyzing the vast amount of data at his disposal the figure couldn't help the faint smile that permeated his face, a tinge of fondness entering his eyes as he analyzed a specific screen.

"Truly there is no greater joy for an inventor, than to see its creation surpassing everything he could have dreamed it to accomplish." He said to himself as he gazed upon a pair of pictures, one of a small black haired girl and another of an equally black haired fairy.

"MHCP001… no, Yui… you have grown far beyond even my wildest dreams. I wonder where your tale shall lead you, or your parents."

With those words he turned his eyes to the other screens which were showing vast amounts of data, health scans provided by both AmuSpheres and Nervegears, alongside videos and images captured by security cameras which he managed to acquired moments before them being skillfully erased by Yui.

"You never cease to surprise me, Kirito." He said as his faint smile grew to fill his entire face, his thoughts analyzing and dissecting the fascinating scenes that stood before him.

Before his eyes he could see a battle worth of the world of his dream, a battle of skill and power far superior to what the human world could ever produce. Before his eyes he could see those who had been touched by his world blossoming and growing, slowly translating his dream into reality.

"Truly there is far more between heaven and earth than our vain philosophy can ever imagine." He said, his pleased smile firmly into place as he watched the assailants vanishing into the shadows as more figures appeared from the moonlit night, his eyes shining with excitement about the possibilities that were now presenting themselves to him

"Now them, how best to proceed?"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

So with this we shall enter into the Kokabiel / Excalibur arc proper. Now that most of the foundation of the story is in place I believe I will be able to alter the arc far sooner than it took me to do in the Phantom Bullet one.

You know, I really like writing Issei point of view, but doing it is way harder than one would think. Just like when writing Yui's point of view, I have to alter the words and their placement in order to properly describe the world as they see it, which quite frankly is quite different than most characters. One due to being and AI and the other simply due to being Issei.

This arc will have some very interesting situations, not to mention some very important twists for the plot in the long run. Look forward to it.

And yes, I did include Suguha into Argo's Peerage. For not only will this allow for some very interesting plot twists and mayhem for the story, I truly think she will fit well into the story, after all she is one of the strongest players in Alfheim, the strongest Sylph, a competent mage and THE fastest flyer in the game.

Leafa/ Suguha [Knight]: I gave her the [Knight] piece due to two facts. She is the fastest Sylph player in ALO, and the Sylphs are supposedly the fastest of all nine races in Alfheim, and she is a national level Kendo practitioner trained since she was young, so she knows how to wield a blade proficiently, which is the [Knight's] signature weapon.

She doesn't have a sacred gear.

Finally, about the final part of this chapter, this last part is a bit of foreshadowing for way into the future. As you can guess from it, Kayaba Akihiko, creator of Sword Art online and inventor of the Nervegear, will not simply fade away from the storyline of my work as he did in canon.

He will reaper later into the story bringing around some very interesting plot twists. But it will be way into the future, three to four whole arcs from now, if not even longer.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	18. Chapter 18 - Enter the Holy Swords

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, I would like to apologize for the delayed update. Unfortunately, after years of faithful service, my computer decided it had enough and refused to function any longer. Getting it fixed took over a week and getting everything back on track another one, but now everything is up and running again and hopefully this will be the last of Murphy's surprises this year.

Thirdly, I want to give a very special thanks to all of you who are following my work. After last chapter this story now has over a thousand followers, and that simple fact, that so many people want to see how this story will develop, is quite simply incredible. Thank you for your support.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Enter the Holy Swords**

Sitting in the grass by the shade of a tree in the school grounds of Kuoh academy Yui momentarily allowed herself to be lost in the feeling of bliss she was experiencing, purposely allowing all other forms of sensory data input that she constantly received to be dimed so she could better savor the moment.

With a small sigh of satisfaction she gave her Onee-chan who was sitting beside her a beaming smile, her feeling of euphoria rising even further upon receiving a small smile in answer from the petit [Rook].

'_Fact: Mama's cooking is amazing!'_ She happily thought, taking one more bite from the bento that was set before her, savoring the food with delight.

Her happy musings were cut short upon noticing that Koneko had already finished her bento, despite the fact it was over three times the size of her own bento.

'_Enquire: Shouldn't Koneko Onee-chan caloric intake be similar to my own due to our similar height and body mass?'_ She curiously thought, noticing that Koneko clearly still wanted more food, while she was already nearly satisfied despite her smaller serving.

Dismissing that particular line of enquire for a more practical approach Yui wriggled closer to the petit [Rook] before placing her bento in the ground right between them, receiving a grateful nod from Koneko as she picked a roll of sushi out to eat.

Enjoying the simple joy of sharing a meal under the sun with her Onee-chan Yui kept a careful watch of her surroundings, taking in the various different activities the students of the academy were doing during their lunch with interest, and immediately noticing the approach of a group of familiar figures.

Lizbeth, Silica, Suguha and Hikari were slowly approaching, clearly intending on joining them for lunch.

"Koneko-san, Yui-chan, would you mind us joining you for lunch?" Suguha asked in a hopeful tone.

Quickly analyzing the situation Yui categorized it with other actions she had been seeing her Papa's sister undertaking ever since hearing the full story about her own existence.

It had been interesting to see Suguha clear disbelief upon hearing how her parent's had saved and later adopted her slowly turning into understanding and acceptance, at which point she had started to clearly attempt to spend some time with Yui.

'_Hypothesis: Suguha Oba-chan is attempting to accept me as Papa's daughter and is seeking to form familial links with me per proper social protocols regarding families.'_ She promptly deduced, a feeling of happiness filling her upon concluding she was gaining a new family member.

"Of course! You and your friends are more than welcome to sit with us Suguha Oba-chan!" Yui happily replied, completely missing the small flinch from Suguha upon hearing what she had been called.

"Oba-chan…?" Suguha managed to squeak out; while beside her Lizbeth and Silica were unsuccessfully attempting to hold in their mirth. "Yui-chan…that is not really…" She trailed of seeking the right words to convey her feelings about the matter at hand.

"Yes Oba-chan?" Yui curiously asked, her big innocent eyes staring straight into Suguha's own conflicted eyes, her body language conveying nothing but innocent interest and eagerness.

"It's nothing…" Suguha said in a defeated tone of voice, dropping to the ground while opening her own bento, all the while mumbling about unfair puppy dog eyes, being promptly followed by Lizbeth and Silica's mirthful forms.

'_Enquire: Suguha Oba-chan seems less cheerful than before our interaction, what could be the possible causes?_' She curiously thought, reexamining the social protocols she had used during their interaction, but after confirming that they had indeed been the appropriated ones dismissed that line of enquire for different lines of thought.

Her search for the source of her Oba-chan disgruntlement was put on hold upon noticing that Hikari had yet to sit beside's them, and was in fact apparently being stared at intently by Koneko.

They both were staring fixedly at each other, but Yui couldn't see any hint of animosity or any other possible explanation for the fact, until finally, after several more seconds of the standoff, Hikari broke their immobility with a small smile and nod towards Koneko who nodded in kind.

And as if that had been some kind of signal Hikari promptly took a seat and started to eat, both parties acting as if the small confrontation had not happened.

'_Fact: Something happened that I failed to notice, further analyzes is advised.'_ She idly thought, taking another bite out of her lunch as the others kept a conversation about the school and their daily lives.

"I still can't believe that you two are seriously trying this with Kazuto-kun. I know I have only known you two for a short while, but you two seen far too level headed to agree with this crazy situation!" Suguha said, replying to something that had been said as Yui had been lost in her thoughts, berating herself for her inattention she immediately refocused into the conversation.

"No matter the fact that it is legally possible in Devil culture, you really shouldn't even be considering such things, much less actually trying them!" She continued, her red face betraying her embarrassment.

"I know it's not exactly normal Suguha, but the fact remains that both myself and Silica do have some serious feelings for Kirito." Lizbeth seriously replied. "You may say that these feelings are nothing but a silly crush born from hero worship, and I won't deny that in the beginning they might have been just that, after all how can you see someone help you and save your life and not develop some feelings for him?"

"Yes what we are doing is really outside the norm and we are not blind to the fact it's making both Asuna and Kirito uncomfortable, but the fact remains that if we didn't do it, the end result would probably be even worse in the long term." She said, a tinge of pain creeping in her voice.

"I really can't say if this will work, and there is a good chance that in the end it will not go forward. But the fact remains we had to try, even if it was just to put to rest any doubt about its possibility."

"We both stepped back so Asuna and Kirito could be together and we are happy for them, but that didn't help with the 'what if's' that stayed behind afterwards, you should understand that better than most. So now that we have a second chance, we are going to see where it leads." She finished giving the dark haired [Knight] a knowing look.

"Still doesn't change the fact you are troubling Kazuto…" She said in a far less certain tone of voice while averting her eyes, her face even redder than before.

"You shouldn't worry Suguha Oba-chan, what they are doing is perfectly normal for this kind of situation." Yui happily said entering the conversation.

"What do you mean with 'Perfectly normal' Yui?" Silica asked in confusion as Suguha once again slightly cringed upon hearing her new suffix.

"Upon seeing Papa's situation I immediately started to search for the appropriate social protocols in order to see how best to deal with it." She proudly declared, missing the confused stares she was receiving. "And thankfully there was a surprising amount of information about it, even going so far as depicting probable scenarios about it and its possible developments, most of the information even originating from this very country!"

"When several females are attracted to the same male, who is usually of high school age and has helped the females in some manner, it's normal for conflict and difficult situations to arise for a while before the females finally reach an agreement or understanding in regards to the male in question." She continued as if she was reciting something she had read in a schoolbook.

Amidst the confused stares the group was sporting as Yui proudly explained her view of the situation Suguha seemed to be the first to suspect what exactly Yui was talking about, a look of dawning horror entering her face as she came to a simple conclusion.

"Yui, these sources of information you are talking about..." She interrupted with a surprisingly calm tone of voice. "The ones you said mostly originate here from Japan… You are talking about Manga and Anime, aren't you?"

"Precisely! I was quite surprise at how accurate these possible scenarios were in regards to Papa's life!" Yui innocently replied, a beaming smile on her face.

"They are a very useful source of information and quite detailed as well. Papa's situation is most commonly called the 'Harem Route', and it seems to be a very common occurrence here in Japan if one were to judge by the amount of information available about it." She said in a sagely manner, her innocent eyes taking in her stunned audience.

The utter silence that had permeated the area was suddenly broken as Hikari simply fell backwards, hands grabbing her stomach as she laughed uncontrollably, while Lizbeth, Silica and Suguha's face turned crimson with embarrassment.

"Those are not… Yui you can't…" Suguha stuttered as she attempted to find the exact words to explain to the innocent little AI that those were not appropriate sources of information.

Looking around the area, from the still laughing Hikari, to the red faced muted Lizbeth and Silica, the stuttering Suguha and the still placidly eating Koneko, Yui formulated a single thought.

'_Fact: Organics can be truly strange creatures at times.'_ She concluded, taking a piece of sushi from her bento and idly eating it.

* * *

"Are you certain about this?" Rias asked intently, her teacup forgotten in the table as she stared at the Dantalion heiress seated across from her in the Occult Research Clubroom.

"Absolutely, my clan's information network is second to none after all. Your brother is probably receiving the same report at this exact moment, so you will be able to confirm it when he contacts you to let you hear the news." Argo replied with a tinge of smugness.

"Please focus Tsukino-san, while the fact you managed to acquire this information before my brother is praiseworthy we should remain on task." Rias admonished, receiving a chuckle in response.

"Right, right. So it has been confirmed, three of the Excalibur fragments were stolen from the hands of the Church. As you can probably guess, the Church is in a frenzy searching for them and tensions are extremely high. The prime suspect is the Grigori, but proof is scarce."

"While troubling it shouldn't be of great concern." Rias decided after a moment of contemplation, her features serene. "After all is a known fact that even close proximity to holy artifacts can seriously injure a Devil. So I doubt even the most radical extremists of the Church will think one of our kind would attempt to steal a Holy Sword of Excalibur level, so while we should rise our guard it's not an urgent matter."

"Normally I would agree with you that would be true." Argo agreed with a nod, a grin on her face. "Except for the fact that the thief's trail leads towards the east, more specifically Japan."

Closing her eyes for a moment, hands interlaced and resting against her chin Rias considered Argo's revelation.

"You believe the thief is coming here don't you?" She asked with a calm she didn't feel, her mind searching for the possible reasons behind the situation at hand.

"It's the only logical conclusion for this situation, one does not flawlessly steal three priceless artifacts from the most secure vaults of the Church only to leave a trail of crumbs leading to where he's going if he doesn't want to be followed."

"The Church is already out for blood, mix that with not one, nor two, but three heiress of the Pillars and throw in some possible Fallen activity in the mix for good measure and the picture turns rather grim pretty quickly." She said, her usual smile nowhere to be seen. "Someone is clearly making a play and the chess pieces are already moving. All we can do is stay alert and be on our guard so our Peerages are not affected when the hammer blow falls."

"Agreed, I take you will take this information to Sona as well." Rias asked, grateful for the heads up about the possible incoming crisis.

"Indeed, I'm headed there right after here. I would wait a little before telling your Peerage about this for the moment, no need to cause undue panic in the off chance I'm wrong." She said while downing her tea in one gulp before rising from her seat. "I'll inform you should I find any new information."

"It will be appreciated." Rias answered finally grabbing her own teacup. "And in regards to undue panic in ones Peerage, is there a reason for what you are doing to Kirito-kun?" She curiously asked, a note of warning in her voice.

"Is this the fabled protectiveness of the Gremory?" Argo asked with amusement, her smile slowly reappearing. "Of course there is a reason Rias, I'm a Dantalion after all. In a nutshell I'm nipping a future problem in the bud, but don't worry, I have no harmful intentions towards him or any member of your Peerage, you have my word." Argo solemnly declared, even if the effect was somewhat compromised by the huge smile on her face.

"Very well, I thank you for your help Tsukino-san" Rias replied after a moment consideration, having noticed no deception in the other's words.

"Please call me Argo, that's what all my friends call me." She cheerfully said, grin firmly into place as she turned around to leave. "Stay alert Rias, things are far too peaceful in here to last, not with a trouble magnet like Kirito and a dragon emperor of all things attending the school."

Watching her strange new ally leaving the room Rias allowed a small smile to appear on her face. Argo may be whimsical and hard to read and some of her actions may be quite literally baffling, but she clearly was a good ally to have and her words rang true.

'_We drew far too much attention with the Rating Game against Raiser.'_ She thought while finishing her tea. _'And now others will probe our defenses to see if that was merely a fluke or not.'_

Rising from her seat Rias remembered an old saying that her brother favored in times of duress, the familiar words sounding oddly appropriated for the situation at hand.

'_After victory, tighten your armor.'_

* * *

Walking alongside Asia as they went home after school Issei couldn't contain the goofy smile that was stretching his face from cheek to cheek.

Asuna might have berated him for his rashness in making his deal with Ddraig, but he felt that the results spoke for themselves. After all, in the end it had allowed him to kick the fried-chicken bastard and receive a kiss from Rias-Buchou.

Even the side effect of having his left arm transformed into a dragon's arm ended up being more of a boom than anything else, due to the process Buchou and Akeno used to allow it to look like a normal arm.

'_Rias-Buchou mouth was so soft and warm…'_ He thought as his smile took a far more lecherous form. _'And even if Akeno-san is scary at times her Oppai are simply amazing as well!'_

'_My life is complete.'_ He proudly decided, lost in remembrance of the two gorgeous Devils draining the excess power from his arm through the process of sucking the fingers of said arm.

"Issei-kun you have been quiet for a while, is there something wrong?" Asia asked from his side with a note of concern in her voice, effectively breaking his happy musings.

"It's nothing Asia, I was just lost in thought." He immediately answered, hoping she wouldn't ask exactly what those thoughts were.

Appeased by the explanation the Devil-nun smiled as they kept walking in a comfortable silence, much to Issei's relief.

'_Lately Asia-chan has learned to use violence against me, I wonder if she is entering a rebellious age?'_ He thought remembering the instances where Asia would either pinch his cheek or stomp on his foot for reason he simply couldn't fathom.

'_Now that I think about it, most of those times Rias-Buchou was there as well, I wonder if that has anything to do with it?'_ He idly thought before dismissing it as unimportant.

**[You truly are a strange one, partner.]** A deep voice reverberated inside his mind, making him startle slightly due to its sudden appearance.

"Don't do that!" He mumbled angrily, giving a small grin of reassurance to a worried looking Asia.

**[I already said that I can hear your thoughts, so unless you want to look like a complete lunatic I would refrain from talking to me out loud.]** Ddraig calmly replied, amusement clear in his voice.

'_Yeah, I can see your point.'_ Issei thought, nodding his head in agreement and completely missing the even more worried look Asia was giving him due to the action.

'_Why can I hear your voice thought? Buchou and Akeno drained your power from my arm not that long ago.'_ He thought with a perverted smile once again growing on his face.

**[As always your mind is filled with perverted thoughts.]** He simply replied. **[As for why you can hear me? Our very souls are connected through the Boosted Gear, why wouldn't you be able to hear me?]**

"Shut up! I'm at that age! It's normal to have such thoughts!" He shouted, not noticing he was talking out loud again.

"Issei-kun…?" Asia asked with worry, looking as if she was moments away from summoning [Twilight Healing] and using it to check what was wrong with him.

"It's nothing Asia-chan, I'm just talking with the Dragon Emperor that lives in my arm." He distractedly replied.

"…I see…" She hesitantly replied, still looking as if she was considering bringing out her Sacred Gear.

**[Yes I guess it is, you are probably at the age to start experimenting with that stuff.]** Ddraig said in amusement. **[Yes, you should enjoy life to the fullest; after all there is no telling when the White One will appear before us.]**

"White One? Oh you mentioned him before." He said in realization. "Who is this white guy you are always talking about?"

**[The White Dragon Emperor, Albion, the Vanishing Dragon.]** He replied, respect clear on his voice.

'_Vanishing Dragon…? Wait, Ddraig is called The Crimson Dragon Emperor… how can there be two emperors?'_ He thought to himself in confusion.

**[How indeed.]** Ddraig said in amusement after seeing his host thoughts.

**[Allow me to tell you a story Hyoudou Issei, long ago when the Three Factions were at the high of the Great War nearly all the supernatural world was part of the conflict, aiding one side or the other.]**

**[The Fae, mythological monsters, Youkai, Human Magicians and Bearers of Holy Powers alike, and many more, all joined the conflict. The only exceptions were the Dragons, who did not side with any of them.]**

'_Why was that?'_

**[Dragons are proud creatures. We are literally an embodiment of power and as such refuse to abide to others as a rule. There were Dragons that turned into Devils or those that sided with God, but the vast majority of us didn't care about the war and lived freely.]**

'_Wow, dragons are such troublesome creatures. They live how they want to.'_ Issei concluded sagely.

**[But during the Great War two dragons started a fight for supremacy, and those two were in the highest class of dragons, their powers rivaling that of God and the Great Satans themselves. They fought against each other without any care for anything else, leveling mountains, razing forests, destroying cities and crushing armies as they stayed locked in a battle without end.]**

'_Why were the two fighting that much?'_ He asked, curious about the tale.

**[The reason for the fight has been lost to the sands of time, no one, not even the two dragons themselves know why they started to fight in the first place, only that they had to defeat their opponent.]**

**[The damage those dragons were causing to the world was so massive, that for the first time in history the leaders of the three powers joined together in order to achieve a common goal. To seal away the rampaging warriors who were destroying everything in their path.]**

'_The groups who are enemies forming an alliance. And the reason for that is a fight between dragons. It sounds complicated.'_ He decided, enrapture by the story.

**[After a tremendous battle, involving both dragons, God and the four Satans, the two dragons got cut into pieces and their spirits were sealed within human bodies as Sacred Gears so that their power could be contained and their rampaging fight would end.]**

Hearing those words a look of realization started to appear on Issei's face as he realized who those two dragons were.

**[And yet the battle did not end, for the two dragons that were sealed within humans used them as vessels, always encountering each other as if guided by fate itself so that they could continue their fight, and fought each other countless times they did. Every time one of them won and one of them died. But even so the battle continued, for if the human hosting one of them dies then the dragons stop functioning for a certain time. But their spirits would endure floating around in this world until another human with dragon powers is born so that the cycle can start anew. That cycle has repeated itself countless times for many long years.]**

"And those two dragons are you and the vanishing dragon, huh."

**[Yeah that's right. This time it was you who became my host. And you even became a Devil. In all the long years I have been like this, this is a first. That's why I am looking forward to it. I wonder what's going to happen this time?]** He cheerfully said.

Gaping at the fact Ddraig was basically treating his life as a soap opera Issei took a moment to organize his thoughts.

In one hand the blasé attitude the dragon was treating his life, possessing him without permission in order to battle his ancient rival once again, was annoying. But in the other hand he was an extremely powerful mythical creature that was lending him his strength and allowing him to be spoiled and kissed by beautiful girls.

Considering the pros and the cons as he saw them, Issei concluded that he didn't mind Ddraig as long as he supported his dream.

'_After all, receiving Buchou's lap pillows, hugs and kisses is more than worth a death battle or two.'_ He thought seriously.

'_Listen up Ddraig! I want to get promoted to a high-class Devil and become a Harem-king! For that is my dream and I shall accomplish it no matter what, even if that means defeating this white dragon guy!'_ He proudly declared, not a trace of doubt on his voice.

After a moment of stunned silence a deep mirthful laugh resounded from the depths of Issei's mind.

**[You truly are an interesting being Hyoudou Issei, It's also my first time having a host like you. Most of my hosts in the past either got too proud of our powers, loosing themselves to power lust, or got too terrified of our powers, refusing to even touch them, with none of them living a fulfilling life.] **He said in a warm cheerful voice.

"Huh? Am I abnormal? Am I weird?" Issei asked in confusion, once again gaining a concerned look from Asia, as she saw her love interest talking to thin air.

**[You are weird but not abnormal. Either way you are a being that is possessed by a dragon. In whatever age and country, Dragons represent power. Those with power gather around dragons, either in admiration or seeking challenge and battle.]**

"…It sounds like an inconvenient power. So am I going to be targeted by a lot of guys?" He said as a feeling of dread started to form up in the pit of his stomach.

**[To fight strong foes that are attracted to power. That's the path of those who possess the dragon-emperors. But you don't have to be so pessimistic. Women would come to you as well.]**

"Are you serious!?" He shouted in sudden joy, the mounting dread disappearing without a trace.

**[Yes, I'm serious. All of my hosts were surrounded by the opposite sex. I think you would call them popular, right? They didn't have to worry about the opposite sex at all.]**

"Wh…whaaat!?Really!? That's so wonderful! Beautiful! You sir are an amazing Sacred Gear!" He shouted in excitement, the idea that his dream could be achieved erasing all former worries about hosting Ddraig. "I'll be in your care from now own Ddraig-sensei!"

**[…You truly are an interesting being, but at the very least it's certainly going to be interesting. Very well partner let us both work together to reach your dream, and try to not get killed by the Vanishing Dragon then.] **Ddraig cheerfully said, clearly amused by his host antics.

"Yes! Nothing's going to stop us! And I'll be a harem king!" Issei excitedly shouted, raising his left arm high into the air as if defying the world to try and stop him.

But his victory speech was brought to a halt when he noticed his head was suddenly enveloped in a faint green glow.

Turning around he saw Asia holding her hands right in front of his head, her Sacred Gear activated, and a look of adorable seriousness on her face.

"Asia, what are you doing?" He asked in confusion.

"Don't worry Issei I'll fix you right away!" The devil-nun proudly declared, a determined glint in her eyes as the glow between her hands intensified.

'…_What?'_ Issei thought in utter befuddlement while hearing Ddraig uproarious laughter echoing from the depths of his soul.

* * *

Reaching his home after Asia was done doing whatever she had been doing, Issei suddenly stopped as a shiver rolled down his spine, a feeling of danger, a sense of dread, griping his entire body.

Looking to the side upon feeling a small hand grab his with a death grip, he saw that Asia was trembling in fright, clearly feeling the same thing that was affecting him.

Looking at the shivering Devil-nun Issei remembered where he had felt this before. This was the feeling he had upon approaching the church he had first lead Asia to, only this time the feeling was even stronger and was coming from inside his house.

It was a feeling only a Devil could feel, the feeling of Holy Power, an instinctual feeling warning him of impending danger, demanding his flight or fight instincts to take hold and act.

'_Mom is in there!'_ He thought, his fear being replaced by grim determination as he rushed towards the house, Asia hot on his heels.

Images of the bodies left behind by the psychotic priest Freed Sellzen, that had tried to kill him and Asia before, flashing through his eyes Issei entered his house, dread filling his being as he entered.

Noticing the kitchen was empty he rushed towards the living room, hoping he wasn't too late.

But upon reaching doorway to the living room he stopped in puzzled befuddlement, noticing that his mother was completely fine, seating in the couch as she showed the dreaded photo album to a pair of foreign girls wearing white robes with rosaries on their chests, one sporting chestnut hair and the other blue hair and green scary eyes.

"And this is a picture of Ise when he was in primary school. Look. This is the picture when his togs got ripped at the swimming pool. It was very troublesome. He went to the pool's slide with his togs ripped." She mirthfully said, enjoying a parent given right of mortifying their children.

"...Mom?" Issei asked in confusion, relief at seeing his mother was fine battling with the unease he felt upon looking at the two girls sitting with her, as they were clearly the source of the Holy Power he was feeling.

"Oh Ise. Welcome back. What happened? You look pale."

"It's nothing." He promptly answered, sagging in relief that she was fine while by his side Asia literally sat in the floor as her own relief overcame her.

"Hello, Hyoudou Issei-kun it has been quite a while, hasn't it?" The chestnut haired one kindly said, a tinge of pity clear in her eyes, while her blue haired companion narrowed her eyes as she stared at them, clearly radiating her displeasure at their sight.

"Nice to meet you." He flatly answered, his eyes locked into a long wrapped bundle that was set beside the blue haired girl, holy power literally leaking out of it as if it was a raging waterfall.

'_That can't be good.'_ He immediately decided.

"Huh? Don't you remember? Silly, It's me." She cheerfully said while pointing a finger to her chest.

Seeing his confusion his mother promptly offered a picture for him to look, a small smile on her face.

Looking at the picture Issei immediately noticed it was the same one that had made Kiba react oddly the other day, the one with him and his friend playing with a holy sword in the wall serving as a decoration.

"Do you remember now Ise, it's your old friend Shidou Irina-chan." His mother said, in a mischievous tone of voice. "She was such a tomboy, you two were always getting into so much trouble together. But now she is a proper lady so even I was shocked."

And so, while staring at what appeared to be two very powerful servants of God, sworn enemies of Devil-kind who simply couldn't have missed the demonic power he and Asia held within them, inside his own home right next to his mother, under close proximity to an unknown holy artifact that literally radiated holy power to an absurd degree, Hyoudou Issei, reincarnated Devil and holder of the [Boosted Gear] focused into one very important fact.

"Eeeeeh?! You were a girl!?" He shouted in incredulity, pointing at the clearly female member of humankind that was apparently his old childhood friend.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

This chapter was interesting to write. It was an interesting mix of serious parts, hinting about the future troubles that are fast approaching in the horizon, with pure joke scenes with both Issei and Yui mixed into it.

I feel that some may view Yui's action as naïve and childlike, but just keep in mind that she is a newly created AI that was translated way outside her intended function. You could say that technically she is like a two year old with a surprisingly high genius intellect with free access to the internet.

So if you think about it, the combination of innocent curiosity, absolute lack of prior knowledge about the world, the world wide web as a main source of information and the fact that she doesn't really understand that fiction is, well fictional, since she is an AI turned familiar with parents that are reincarnated Devils (a fiction setting if there ever was one), and that can easily lead to some truly hilarious conclusions.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	19. Chapter 19 - Fragments of Legend

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, wow! Just, wow! Over a thousand favorites! Now that is a humbling milestone. I would like to thank all of you that trough your support have allowed this to happen; I'll try and live up to it as I write this story.

Thirdly, some reviewers have enquired about Yui's position regarding the Harem, so allow me to explain that she is neutral.

From her point of view, thanks to the rather questionable sources she has been using to understand social interactions, there is nothing unusual happening and therefore there is no reason for her to interfere one way or the other, since the final decision should be done by Asuna and Kirito.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Fragments of Legend**

Rushing through the trees at speeds that most humans would consider impossible, a young girl with short black hair wearing green and white clothes, that seemed to flow with her every movement, entered the clearing where their objective laid.

Her dark grey eyes narrowing in suspicion as she scanned the area for the ones who had to be guarding it, Kirigaya Suguha, also known as Leafa of the Sylphs, prepared herself for the battle to come, her attention never wavering from the trees that were surrounding her from all sides.

While normally she would be able to easily outpace the others with her newfound speed, she had learned the hard way that superior speed wasn't a guaranteed path to victory against a worthy opponent.

'_Once was bad enough, no way I'm losing that way again, not now that I know he can temporarily gain similar speed trough a promotion.'_ She somberly decided, cautiously approaching the rock outcropping in the center of the clearing, where the objective of the current mission was proudly displayed.

Her thoughts were cut short as instincts honed trough countless years of Kendo practice screamed at her to raise her sword above her head and block.

In a practiced movement she darted her sword into a guarding position, the sound of steel meeting steel answering her question of where her opponent was.

With a flick of her wrist and a series of back-steps she disengaged from the deadlock, not allowing her crimson clad opponent the chance to use his superior strength to overpower her.

Darting to the side she unleashed a series of blows, forcing him to move his own blade faster and faster in order to keep up with her onslaught, their Katana's singing trough the wind as they repeatedly clashed in a dance of blades.

"You have improved Suguha." Klein said with a roguish grin during a lull in their battle. "It seems I will have to bring my A-game in order to win this."

Huffing in amused annoyance Suguha ignored his antics, merely analyzing her crimson opponent armored form for weak spots where she could strike.

Wearing a dark red armor, with a strong samurai-like feel to it, Klein could pass for an impressive sight. A sight that was utterly ruined by the red bandana he wore on his forehead and the silly smile on his face.

'_Why he tries so hard to look like a warring states era bandit I'll never know.'_ She thought in bemusement, while darting forward to renew her assault.

As they blades met once again she immediately noticed a red glow suddenly enveloping his katana, promptly making her leap backwards, her eyes narrowing at the danger she knew that portrayed.

'_I really have to learn how to use sword-skills.'_ She thought while preparing her own counter, a faint green glow encompassing her left hand.

While she might have found some difficulties in emulating the sword techniques that her fellow Peerage members so easily employed, she had also found that other parts of her training to be far more fruitful.

In a sudden burst of speed that easily rivaled her own, Klein's blade darted forward, the crimson enveloped katana nothing but a blur as it crossed the distance towards her body.

Thrusting her green encased hand forward Suguha shot a bullet of condensed air the size of her fist right into his path, forcing him to abandon his attack in order to avoid it and giving her enough room to rush closer to the center of the clearing.

She watched as Klein recovered from the dodged spell with ease, his blade once again aglow with red energy as he darted forward.

But before she could start another spell to counter the incoming attack, a sudden battle cry coming from behind and above broke her concentration.

Turning around she paled upon seeing a brown haired girl wearing a heavily armored read and white dress descending upon her, a war-mace the size of her head firmly grabbed in a two handed grip raised above her head, clearly intending on delivering a crushing finishing blow upon reaching the ground.

'_Crap, I can't let that hit connect!'_ Suguha frantically thought, desperately searching for a way to avoid the pincer attack she was about to experience.

She knew the strength Lizbeth could pack in her blows and she had no desire to find out what they could do while assisted by a leap from the top of the rocky outcrop where she had been hiding.

But just when she had all but accepted her inevitable fate, two silver blurs cut through the clearing at supersonic speeds.

The first hitting Lizbeth squarely in the chest, throwing her backwards and away from Suguha and the second hitting Klein straight on his right knee, destroying his momentum and balance, dropping him to the ground.

A smile on her lips Suguha gave a quick grateful nod in the direction of the trees; there were definitely advantages in teaming up with a sniper.

Using the sudden rain of silver arrows as cover Suguha darted forward once again, trying to reach their objective before either Klein or Lizbeth could recover their bearings.

Even with the tunnel vision caused by moving at top speed, a crushing noise and sudden rush of air was more than enough to warn her it would probably be a good idea to dodge.

Jumping backwards and rolling away her momentum, she wearily watched the large tree trunk that had been thrown where her path would have leaded her rushing form.

Gazing at the probable culprit of the bombardment, Suguha wasted a few seconds simply staring in astonishment.

Darting towards her, war-mace sparkling with electricity and ready to strike and countless golden runes covering every single piece of clothing in her body, Lizbeth was completely ignoring the rain of arrows that were futilely attempting to stop her charge.

Regaining her bearings Suguha evaded the strike, the massive crater left by the blow clearly showing her that she really didn't want to be hit by the Peerage's [Rook].

A quick scan of the area showed that Klein was still trying to regain his footing, but any moment now he would rejoin the fray, while Lizbeth had placed herself squarely between her and their objective.

Sinon had stopped her barrage, noticing the lack of effect her arrows were having against the [Rook's] reinforced armor.

'_We got to come up with something fast, time is almost up.' _She thought in frustration as she tried to come up with a plan.

"Suguha, move!" A voice shouted from the treetops, promptly making the dark haired [Knight] to dart sideways.

She watched as the exact place she had been standing a fraction of a second before was suddenly occupied by a single far larger silver beam, which promptly barreled towards a surprised looking Lizbeth, hitting her with the strength of an artillery piece and making her loose her footing.

Not wasting the chance her team partner had just given her Suguha rushed forward, quickly climbing the rocky outcrop in a series of leaps and claiming the flag that had been proudly displayed there.

Raising the flag high she smiled at the black haired sniper's appearing form, an answering smile on the sniper's face as her green coat swung at the breeze.

"Nice work, but a little more warning would have been nice." Suguha playfully teased; happy they had finally defeated the older members of the Peerage at the game.

"I knew you could dodge it." The sniper said with a shrug. "And we were running out of time."

"You got that right; you only had three more minutes before the time was over." Silica cheerfully said, descending from the air where she had been keeping track and acting as the judge for their game of capture the flag, a small blue feathery dragon perched on her shoulders.

"Damn, that hurt Sinon, and using spells really shouldn't be allowed." Klein grumbled after getting to his feet, massaging the bruises that were decorating his skin. "Silica if you don't mind?"

"Pina?" She asked the small creature with a smile, receiving a small shriek in response as Pina promptly opened her mouth in order to use her healing breath.

Looking in bemusement as the pink bubbles coated and slowly healed Klein's bruises; Suguha couldn't help but think the small blue creature was one of the oddest sights she had ever seen.

And considering she was now a Devil, capable of easily moving at speeds that would put Olympic athletes to shame, was able to freely soar trough the skies and was learning how to wield wind magic that was saying something.

'_But it sure is helpful, not to mention cute.'_ She thought, watching Silica give her familiar some peanuts in thanks for her efforts.

"Quit your complaining and learn some magic skills already." Lizbeth playfully admonished, her armor now back to normal and showing no signs of wear from the barrage it had endured. "Great work you two that was some nice teamwork."

"Never! A true warrior should never learn a skill with the words magic in its name!" He defiantly declared as he crossed his arms.

"And what are you going to do then, if you're facing an opponent like Sinon that stays out of sword range?"

"That's what I got your armor for. I will just endure it as I close the distance." He happily declared, striking a confident pose.

"Oh, no you won't!" Lizbeth immediately replied. "You are not falling back in the pattern you had in SAO! You had to come get your armor fixed nearly every week back then, no way will I allow you to treat my babies like that now that they are real!"

"You just allowed Sinon to bombard you without a care! Why can't I do it?" Klein asked incredulously.

"Which member of the Peerage is: A, wearing heavy armor; B, has a devil piece that naturally strengths defensive stats; and C, possess a Sacred Gear that can enhanced said heavy armor even further?" She pointedly asked, poking Klein in the chest with every point she made. "If anyone is acting as a Tank here is me, so either learn some spells for ranged attacks or start dodging like a good flimsy Damage-Dealer should."

Ignoring their good natured bickering, something that happened way too often in her opinion, Suguha approached the other two girls who were talking by the side.

"I still can't believe Argo came up with the idea of playing capture the flag as a training exercise, or that it actually seems to work." Silica said, mirth clear in her voice.

"If you think about it, it actually forces us to learn to both attack and defend and act in teams. So is not really that surprising." Sinon readily replied, the way she was eyeing the small blue dragon showing she dearly wanted to pet it.

"Talking about our fearless leader, do you know why she and Hikari left earlier today?" Suguha asked while giving Sinon an understanding look, as far as she knew every single female to lay eyes on Pina ever since her summoning had tried to pet her, to no avail.

It seemed that the small feathery dragon would not allow anyone but her mistress to touch her, with the sole exception of Kazuto for some reason.

"Not sure, but I guess we are about to find out." Sinon replied, pointing to a magic circle that had just appeared in the clearing.

'_Magic and Devil powers are complete bullshit, very useful, but bullshit nonetheless.'_ She thought, watching as the Peerage's [King] and her [Queen] appeared out of thin air, feeling the same sense of bemusement she was starting to associate with Pina.

The fact she was fairly sure the training ground they had been using wasn't even in the Kanto region only reinforcing the feeling.

Her idle musings were cut short upon noticing the worried look on Hikari's face and the impish smile on Argo's. Both clear signs of trouble.

"Gather up everyone, I have some very interesting news to share!" Argo cheerfully exclaimed, completely ignoring the sudden silence her words had provoked.

Hearing those words Suguha could feel her body slightly tense, her undivided attention falling on her still smiling [King].

She knew even without looking that the others were doing the same; after all, as she had shortly learned after joining Argo's service, the Dantalion's heiress had a very unique definition for the word, interesting.

* * *

Standing at the Occult Research club with the rest of the Peerage, eyes carefully analyzing the two visitors that had come to talk with Rias, Asuna had to consciously prevent herself from drawing her rapier.

The tension inside the room was palpable. The mere fact that their guests were servants of the Church would already make things uncomfortable, them being female exorcists, warriors of God sworn to vanquish all that their religion saw as impure, only adding to that, but the covered object the blue haired one was carrying literally took matters into a whole new level.

Asuna could feel it in her bones, a deep seated instinct to attack and destroy a looming threat before it could be used against her and those she held dear, a compulsion to move out and remove the danger before it could strike.

And that object was dangerous, of that she had no doubt. She knew that whatever weapon it was the exorcist was carrying, that letting it connect a strike would be an extremely poor idea.

Taking a deep breath she centered her resolve. _'Now is not the time for impulsiveness, especially when taking in account the current situation.' _She thought, giving the Peerage's other [Knight] a worried look.

While she was wary, Kiba was literally radiating hate and anger. A scowl imbedded on his face and his right hand opening and closing continuously, as if itching to grab a sword.

"Three of the Excaliburs that were in the protection of the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church were stolen. All evidence points to the perpetrator hiding in this city, the deaths of the exorcists who were pursuing him when reaching this location only further proving this fact." The blue haired exorcist said, continuing the speech she had been giving.

"Wait, isn't Excalibur that super famous sword? The one wielded by King Arthur? How could it be at three places at once?" Issei interrupted in innocent confusion.

While wanting to inwardly cringe at the [Pawn's] apparent lack of notice for the tenseness of the current situation Asuna admitted it was a valid question, and something she had found odd as well.

"Ise-kun, the original Excalibur was indeed the blade of King Arthur, the Sword-of-promised-victory of legends. But during the Great War it was broken, and seven holy swords were forged from its fragments, each of them being still referred as Excalibur." Rias calmly answered, hiding any discomfort she might have been feeling under a mask of placid serenity.

A small pained sound by her side drawing her attention, Asuna briefly looked at Kirito to see what was the matter, only to have to hold back a chuckle upon seeing her husband's face.

"Broken?" He asked in a barely audible voice, his face sporting a pained look that could easily be the same a small child would wear upon hearing that Christmas had indeed been cancelled.

Discreetly taking hold of his hand to comfort him as the black clad [Rock] digested the fact that the Excalibur, quite possible the most famous blade in all history, had been shattered into seven fragments.

"Indeed, now it looks like this." The blue haired exorcist said, reverently removing the cover of her weapon and revealing a beautiful long blade that literally radiated holy power. "This is Excalibur Destruction."

'_So this is a holy sword.'_ Asuna thought narrowing her eyes, easily seeing why some called the holy weapons the bane of devil-kind, for she was certain that a single hit could easily grievously injure, if not outright kill, anyone possessing devil's powers.

"And this is Excalibur Mimic! I can change its shape into anything I want, so it's really useful for carrying around. Just like this, each Excalibur has its unique ability. "The girl with long brown hair cheerfully exclaimed, completely at odds with the other exorcist calm pride, as the small hairpin she had been wearing transformed into a long katana.

"Irina, there is no reason to inform these Devil's about the capabilities of our Excaliburs." The blue haired exorcist admonished, distrust clear in her eyes as she looked at Rias and the others.

"Xenovia, even if they are Devils we still have to form a trustworthy relationship with them in this kind of situation. And besides, is not like them knowing about my swords power will matter in the end." She replied in the same cheerful manner, as if simple speaking a mundane everyday matter.

"I was aware of the fact the swords had been stolen, but the confirmation they had been brought into my territory is welcomed. Have you also confirmed the identity of the culprit?" Rias calmly asked, ignoring the jab about her Peerages power, hands interlaced and resting underneath her chin.

"Indeed. The culprit has been identified as the Fallen Kokabiel, one of the leaders of the Grigori." Xenovia promptly answered, her eyes fixing upon the red headed Devil.

"The 'Angel of the Stars'… to think a Fallen that both appeared on the Bible and survived the Great War itself would be here… this territory is truly full of problems." She replied, closing her eyes as if in deep thought.

"Our orders are quite clear; the Church will not tolerate any interference in this matter and requests that you do not interfere in the battle between us and the Fallen. We are to take any measures necessary to ensure this." Xenovia seriously said, her right hand idly resting in the handle of her sword.

"I see that the Church hasn't changed." Rias said with a mirthless laugh. "Allow me to put your superiors' fears to rest, while I admit that my kind would not mind such powerful holy weapons to be lost, I have no intention to threaten the peace by aligning myself with a rogue Fallen. I and my Peerage shall not interfere; you have my word as a Gremory."

"This is good enough; our orders were to stop the swords from falling in impure hands no matter the cost, even if that meant going against the sisters of the Great Satans or destroying the blades themselves."

"Very well, but I must ask, where is the representative of the Orthodox Church?"

"He will stand back in order to protect the last Excalibur should we fail."

"You mean only the two of you have been sent in this mission? Against one of the very leaders of the Grigori?" Rias asked in disbelief, breaking the placid mask she had been wearing up to this point. "Are you mad? How do you expect to do so and live?"

"The only way to fight an Excalibur is with an Excalibur." Xenovia calmly replied, unconcerned with the Gremory's words. "The mission is all that matters, if our lives must be forsaken in order to do so, then so shall it be."

"I see that the Church teachings remain as extreme as ever." Rias said, displeasure clear in her voice.

"Don't talk ill of our beliefs, Rias Gremory. If that is all them we shall be taking our leave."

Watching the two exorcist rise from their seats Asuna could clearly understand Rias discomfort about the exorcists' attitude.

Blind faith: a conditioned response in which a person forsakes all free will and logical thought in favor of unthinking devotion, a truly dangerous state of mind in which some of the greatest monstrosities of the world had been created.

She knew the dangers of it, having nearly fallen for it herself if not for Kirito's help. Blindingly following Heatcliff to the end, not noticing that, that end would have been her own destruction.

She immediately noticed as the exorcist stopped in their way to the door, Xenovia's eyes looking straight at Asia's small form.

"When I saw you in Hyoudou Issei's house I thought that maybe it was you, but now I'm certain. You are the 'Witch' Asia Argento, are you not? To see one who once was called a 'Holy-maiden' fall so far." She said sadly, her words making Asia flinch back as if hit.

"You truly have forsaken the words of our Lord, and yet my senses do not lie. Tell me Asia Argento, do you still believe in our God?"

"Xenovia, there's no way that she, who became a Devil, still believes in God."Irina promptly replied, an amazed look in her face.

"No Irina, you know I'm sensitive to such things and I can sense the belief from her. She may have betrayed the teachings and is guilty of sin, but she has not forgotten them." Xenovia said seriously, sharp eyes staring as if judging Asia's soul.

"Is that true? Asia-san, you still believe in God even if you have turned into a Devil?" Irina cheerfully asked, happiness dancing in her eyes.

"…I just can't put it aside. Even after everything that happened… I still believe in his words." Asia sadly answered, eyes downcast.

Asuna felt a pang of sadness at the former nun's words, knowing that to this day Asia still daily prayed to God, despite the physical pain her payers caused her.

"Is that so? Then allow us to cleanse you with our blades, so that your soul may be purified and ascend into heaven." Xenovia seriously said, pointing her blade towards Asia surprised form.

"Don't touch her. If you come close to Asia, I won't forgive you! How dare you call Asia a witch?!" Issei bellowed in anger, stepping forward to place himself in front of Asia.

"Don't fuck around! Not even a single person helped her when she needed help! Asia's one of the kindest persons I have ever seen, and despite that no one tried to be her friend! Those who can't see her kindness and call her a witch are a bunch of idiots!"

"Friend? Do you truly believe a 'Holy-maiden' would need friends? The love and protection of God are all that she should have needed. The fact she forsake her duty for something as fickle as friendship shows she was unworthy of the title." Xenovia said as if stating the obvious.

"None of you know what she went through! What God!? What love!? That God didn't do jack shit when Asia was in a dangerous situation!" Issei replied, clearly angered by the exorcists lack of concern.

"God loved her; the gift she carries is proof enough of that. If nothing happened in her moment of need then it means that she didn't believe in him enough, or that her belief itself was false." She calmly replied.

"So you are saying that those who suffer are to blame for their own suffering? That those who seek salvation in vain are responsible for their fates? How convenient." Asuna asked in a deceptively calm voice, stepping forward as well, angered by the exorcist words.

"Regardless of your beliefs I ask you to put away your blade, for I shall not stand as you threaten my fellow Peerage member." She finished in a stern tone of voice, knowing even without looking that Kirito was behind her, ready to act at a moment's notice if need be.

"Please let's calm our tempers." Rias interjected, attempting to defuse the situation. "There is no nee…"

"That's good timing. If you want to cross swords so badly then I shall be your opponent." Kiba said, interrupting Rias, hate clear in his eyes while carrying one of his swords, killing intent and hatred leaking out of his body as if an aura that surrounded his form.

"Who are you?" Xenovia calmly asked, taking in the demonic sword that had appeared on Kiba's hand and the killing intent he was emitting.

"I guess you could say I'm your Senpai." He said with a depreciative smirk. "Though, apparently I was a failure."

And as his words finished leaving his mouth countless demonic swords filled the room, ready to strike.

* * *

'_Things can never be nice and easy, can they?'_ Kirito sardonically thought, silently watching the situation at hand.

After Kiba's outburst the two exorcists had agreed to his proposition of a duel, going so far as assuring Rias that it would not be reported to the church, and therefore there would be no complications arising from it.

But looking at the barely contained hate that was clearly visible on their Peerage's blonde [Knight], Kirito couldn't help but feel that a political incident was the least of their worries.

The fact Asuna was discussing with Issei about who would be the one to duel alongside Kiba and fight Irina was also doing very little to reassure his worries.

"No way! I can't let what they just said to Asia slide! I'll take care of them!" Issei angrily said, wildly gesturing towards the blushing form of the Devil-nun at his side.

"Listen Issei-san, this is an extremely poor match up for you. You are a brawler and your main fighting method is to outlast your opponents." Asuna calmly replied, steel in her eyes as she explained the situation to the [Pawn].

"There is nothing wrong with that, especially considering your [Boosted Gear], enduring an opponent's attacks so you can overpower them and achieve a decisive victory is actually a good strategy."

"But against a holy sword of Excalibur level that will not work. If what Rias has told us holds true, then a single slash would be enough to greatly weaken you or even take you out of the fight, not to mention that upon drawing her blade Irina materialized a katana, indicating she favors speed in her swordplay."

"That speed alongside the greater reach her sword will give her will allow her to score hits against you while leaving you in a difficult situation in order to retaliate, it's far more logical to use a speed oriented fighting style like mine to face her."

"Do you understand?" She calmly asked, waiting for the [Pawn's] response.

Noticing the reigning silence Kirito looked at Issei to see why he hadn't answered, only to notice a gob-smacked look on his face and a perverted grin fixed on his expression.

Following Issei's line of sight Kirito saw what was holding his attention. Irina and Xenovia had removed their priest robes, revealing formfitting black leotards, clearly intended to allow a maximum range of movement without restraining the wearer, but that literally hugged their bodies leaving very little to the imagination.

"Not to mention that." Asuna said in an aggravated tone of voice, indicating she had also seen the source of Issei's distraction.

"Asia if you would be so kind?" She politely asked, indicating the [Pawn's] distracted form.

With a nod of agreement and a beaming smile Asia moved right next to Issei, grabbing hold of one of his ears and promptly proceeding to drag him towards the edge of the clearing where the rest of the Peerage was waiting while ignoring his sputtering protests.

Giving his wife a final nod of understanding and silently asking her to be careful Kirito stood aside as well, eyes carefully analyzing the four sword users who were about to fight.

They formed an odd group, Asuan and Xenovia's calm and analytical forms standing next to a clearly infuriated Kiba and a still cheerfully smiling Irina.

'_Kiba is allowing his emotions to control him.'_ He grimly thought as the [Knight] started to slowly laugh a cold mirthless laughter.

"To think that which I seek to destroy would appear in front of me so easily, even though I had heard that by being close to a dragon, 'powers' would gather. But for me to encounter it this early." He said, a maddened glint in his eyes.

"I see…" Xenovia calmly said, taking a ready stance from across the field. "This hatred and that Sacred Gear… you are a survivor of the Holy Sword project, aren't you?"

"Holy Sword project?" Issei asked from the side, an unnerved tint to his voice due to the [Knight's] unusual actions.

"It was a project instituted by the Church in an attempt to artificially create holy sword wielders. But in the end the project was a failure, those who received the treatment being unable to wield the holy weapons, so the project was closed and the 'defective products' that it had created disposed." Rias answered in a low venomous tone, eyes fixed on Kiba's form.

"Kiba was the only survivor of the project, all the others who had spent months alongside him there, his friends and companions, were killed. And his survival was only due to the fact that I resurrected him as a Devil to save him from his wounds. The Church often labels our kind as 'evil' and yet when situations like this surface I wonder, what them should they be called?"

'_So he had such a past.'_ Kirito thought, now being able to clearly see the situation. _'He lost those who he had connected and bonded to during the project due to a single decision from the Church and now he is seeking retribution.'_

"Yes, I'm one of the 'failures' your superiors tried to dispose, now allow me to return the favor." He spat out, immediately charging Xenovia in a frontal assault.

"What a troublesome situation." Irina said, her ever present smile diming slightly, a pitying look on her face. "First finding that Issei-kun had become a Devil, then meeting Asia-san who had become a 'Witch' and now meeting a survivor of that project."

"This must be a trial set up by our Lord, if so I shall gladly accept it and judge you all with my Excalibur in the name of God! Amen!" She cheerfully exclaimed, conviction and faith clear in her words.

Wincing slightly at the prayer, Kirito noticed that all the others had reacted in a similar manner.

'_So this is the power of prayer in the hands of a true believer.'_ He idly thought as Irina charged towards Asuna, Katana at the ready.

Rias had explained to him how a prayer was in fact something akin to a communication spell with the heavens, and that the more faith a human had the clearer the connection that was created became, but seeing it first hand was a different matter.

For while it hadn't been overly harmful, no more than the pain of a pinprick in fact, the fact remained that the girl's prayer still had managed to affect an entire Devil's Peerage, with no apparent effort from the cheerful exorcist.

'_Even if they are our age we shouldn't underestimate them.'_ He thought watching Asuna weave around Irina's blows, rapier at the ready but yet to strike as she analyzed her opponents form. _'Blinded by faith or not, the Church would not leave an Excalibur fragment in incapable hands.'_

Watching Asuna and Irina's fight was like watching a choreography made of fast movements and blindingly sharp turns, as they swirled around each other.

A graceful dance of thrusts and strikes, evasions and counters, each attempting to outmaneuver the other in order to strike and the sharp song of steel meeting steel as their blades redirected the blows they couldn't evade.

In sharp contrast Kiba's battle was the exact opposite, an enraged frenzy made of graceless swings made in anger that Xenovia was easily avoiding.

As Kiba furiously attacked, a sword coated in flames on his right hand and one encased in ice on his left. Kirito could see that the [Knight] had forsaken his skill for fury, and in doing so, was giving up his ability to fight effectively.

'_It won't be long now.'_ He thought narrowing his eyes, the fact Xenovia had yet to attempt a single attack clueing him in that she was holding back, gauging her opponent before unleashing a decisive strike.

"Hey Kirito, why hasn't Asuna used any sword-skills yet?" Issei curiously asked by his side, bringing the black clad [Rook's] attention back to the pair of swordswomen.

"Knowledge is power Issei. Learn your opponents attack patterns and you have already all but won the fight." He replied with a small smirk to the confusion of the [Pawn].

A quick look to the rest of the Peerage showed that both Akeno and Rias had caught on to Asuna's intention, and why she had yet to unleash a sword-skill or any of the water spells she had started to favor during their spars.

Even if she had entered this duel due to anger, the habits acquired in nearly two years of acting as a commander of troops still shone trough.

No matter the fact that they had come under a offering of truce, in the end the truth remained that as exorcists, Irina and Xenovia were servants of the Church, and so a potential threat to the Peerage.

And so, Asuna was probing them, using enough skill to force the exorcist to reveal some of her true power and skill while withholding her own aces from the equation.

Watching his wife effortlessly sidestep a speeding blow and retaliate with a series of lightning fast strikes he couldn't help but smile, the fact that the blows were slowly picking up speed all but confirming his suspicion of her plans.

A sudden explosion quickly brought his attention back to Kiba's fight, his focus being immediately caught by Xenovia's sword, calmly held in a picture perfect striking position.

Narrowing his eyes he watched as Kiba picked himself up from the ground where he had fallen, the swords he had been wielding reduced to nothing more than their hilts and a few inches of metal.

"This is Excalibur Destruction, the very embodiment of destruction." She calmly explained, slowly rising the sword above her head. "There is nothing that can withstand the power of its blade."

And with those words she brought the sword down, a massive wave of debris exploded forward from the point of impact where the holy sword had carelessly touched the ground.

"Geez! I'm all covered in dirt because you destroyed the ground, Xenovia!" Irina complained, wiping the dirt off her clothes.

Ignoring the cheerful exorcist antics, Kiba's eyes remained fixed on the holy weapon in Xenovia's hands, utter loathing clear in his eyes.

"So this is the power of Excalibur." He spat out, demonic power gathering on his hands as he spoke. "The destructive power of your holy sword, or the destructive power of my demonic sword! We will see which one is stronger!"

Kiba's demonic power started to condense into a large form, a large Great-sword nearly as long as he was tall, destructive power radiating from its long blade.

"Kiba lost." Kirito quietly murmured, surprising the Peerage members at his side.

"Heh?! What do you mean? That sword looks awesome!" Issei interjected, confusion clear on his face.

"Kiba's whole fighting style is based on speed, skill and the ability to outmaneuver his opponent. While certainly powerful, that sword size negates all three of those advantages." He replied not moving his eyes away from the standoff between the two sword wielders.

A sudden burst of movement, faster than anything Xenovia had pulled so far, a violent crushing sound followed by a brief shockwave and it was over.

Kirito silently analyzed the exorcist once again picture perfect post strike motion, fragments of Kiba's demonic sword raining to the ground as its wielder attempted to regain his footing.

"Foolish. Your true weapons should be the variety of swords you can create and your speed. Even if you had the strength to swing a gigantic sword like that, it's inevitable to lose the speed that you are so proud of in exchange. Don't you even understand that?" She finished in a detached manner, lowering her blade and holding it in a reverse grip.

A quick burst of speed and she was standing right next to the struggling [Knight], the pommel of her blade lodged deeply into his stomach, forcing him to release a pained gasp and dropping him to the ground.

"Even if it's not the blade, that hit just now should be enough to stop you from standing for a while." She calmly stated, unflinchingly meeting Kiba's hateful stare.

"Senpai, I suggest you to control your emotions and to fight with coolness the next time we meet." She finished, turning around and placidly walking towards the edge of the clearing to wait the end of Irina's match.

Focusing again on his wife duel Kirito immediately noticed that both parties had started to face each other more seriously, their forms constantly darting around each other in an intricate dance of attacks and dodges, neither allowing the other to land a hit.

"Oh well, it was fun and you are far more skillful than I imagined. But, it's about time to settle this." Irina said as she dodged a lightning fast thrust, a cheerful smile on her face as she started picking up speed, her duel against Asuna rising in intensity by the second.

Noticing the narrowing eyes on Asuna's face, he knew the match was about to come to its conclusion, but the fact she was still refraining from using either her sword-skills or magic spells made him wonder what exactly she was plotting.

He watched intently as the two swordswomen met in a burst of sparks, eyes widening upon noticing Irina blade suddenly increasing its length, allowing her to reach Asuna in order to strike.

A strike that Asuna barely dodged, by using a speed that Kirito knew was nowhere near her limits, a single shallow wound appearing on her left arm.

'_And she says I'm reckless.'_ He grudgingly thought, realizing that she had allowed herself to be hit.

Narrowing his eyes he watched as Asuna jumped backwards, a pained expression briefly appearing from beneath her expressionless mask as she analyzed the wound.

"I concede this match, Irina-san." Asuna calmly spoke, a barely noticeable glint in her eyes.

"Thank you. It was a good match; I pray that one day you may find salvation Asuna-san! Amen!" The cheerful exorcist replied, a smile on her face as her sword once again morphed into a hairpin.

Shaking off the small stab of pain her words had caused he moved towards his wife, shaking his head in disbelief.

Even perfectly understanding what she had done he still could scarcely believe it. His wife had taken a match initiated due to out of control emotions and used it to gauge the power of one of the Church's top operatives, going so far as allowing herself to be injured in order to experience firsthand the effects of a holy weapon in a controlled environment.

All that while withholding any truly pertinent information about her own fighting style from the exorcist she had just battled.

"You are impossible, do you know that?" He teasingly asked, the small satisfied smile he received in answer confirming that his guess was right.

"Rias Gremory, I trust you with the talk from earlier, but now we must take our leave." Xenovia stated, giving a small bow to the Gremory heiress before proceeding to leave the grounds.

"Wait for me Xenovia. Then it's like that Ise-kun, it was nice seeing you again even in this circumstances. Tell me whenever you want to get judged. Amen." Irina cheerfully said, her upbeat attitude in sharp contrast to the meaning of her words.

Watching the two exorcist leaving Kirito's eyes moved to the Peerage's blonde [Knight], taking in his struggling form as he attempt to rise, while fighting off Issei's attempts to help.

He could see the hate and anger that he was barely containing, the fury that was simmering just beneath the surface. But far more importantly, he could see the pain and despair hidden away underneath it all.

And so as he watched the [Knight] moving away while ignoring Rias attempts to talk with him he came to a decision. His fellow Peerage member needed help, and his problem was something he was painfully familiar with.

'_Yeah, things really can never be nice and easy.' _He thought, releasing a small sigh of frustration.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

With this chapter I decided to show a little of how Argo's Peerage is settling in, both in skills and as team members, and also introduce part of the main plot of this arc with the appearance of the Excalibur fragments Xenovia and Irina wield and the resulting conflict with the Occult Research Club.

But due to that it somehow turned into a very battle heavy chapter, but them again it may simply be the influence of the arc. Kokabiel's arc has a lot of conflict in it after all.

Asuna steeping in to take Issei's place in the duel seemed very fitting, both due to her tactical analysis of the situation and the fact Xenovia's words about Asia's situation would undoubtedly touch a sore spot in regards to her own captivity at Nobuyuki's hands, prompting her to act.

But at the same time I believe that she would not allow her emotions to rule her for long, so I made her turn the duel into a chance to gleam some of the oppositions capabilities.

Thankfully, unlike the GGO arc in which it took me a long time before I could really change things without breaking the plot, I will be able to start implementing some of my more major changes right next chapter so look forward to it.

Also, in a completely separate note, I now officially both love and hate coming up with titles for the chapters. In one hand, it's fun and rewarding coming up with a good title that reflects the chapter or makes a funny joke about it; in the other hand, it's really hard doing so, seriously, it's sometimes easier to write the chapter than to come up with a good title for it.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	20. Chapter 20 - The Weight of Survival

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, answering the question of a few reviewers, Silica got Pina trought the same method Kirito used with Yui.

I used the fact that on Silica's Canon side story Pina saved her from an attack from a monster despite the fact that such an action was not programmed into her source code, meaning she had achieve some form of self-awareness, even if nowhere near Yui's level, and therefore could be recognized by the spell as a possible familiar.

Thirdly, answering a few more reviewers, yes I don't have a Beta. That is due to the fact that I'm trying to improve my English, something that I'm happy to say is working, since I'm making far fewer mistakes when compared to when I started this story.

I hope that answered your questions.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**The Weight of Survival**

Letting out a nearly silent sight of frustration Asuna attempted once more to focus on what their teacher was explaining to the rest of the class, only to once again notice that her mind simply refused to concentrate on the subject.

Giving up retaining anything about the subject the teacher was explaining she instead discreetly looked to the seat at her side, focusing on the source of her worry, her husband Kirito.

The usually laid back and cheerful [Rook] was silently occupying his seat, looking without actually seeing the blackboard at the front of the class, the dull glint on his eyes telling her his mind was thousands of miles away from the classroom.

He had been like this ever since Kiba had left the training ground after the duel against the two Exorcists the day before, growing more and more introspective as the hours passed.

She could guess pretty well the reason for his somber thoughts. Kiba's past that Rias had disclosed was certainly grin, portraying the kind of unfair cruelty and general disregard for life that made some question the very nature of humankind.

But that was not all, she knew, from their private talks deep into the night when it had been no one but the two of them, sharing their cottage in the twentieth second floor of Aincrad while basking in each other presence and opening their hearts, she knew why Kiba's past had affected Kirito so harshly.

For he himself personally knew what it was like to lose close companions to an uncaring world, to have bonds of friendship and companionship completely erased in a simple moment due to an arbitrary decision of fate.

He knew far too well the price of being the last one left standing while those you loved fell before you.

The Black Cat's of the Full Moon, the only guild Kirito had ever willingly joined, back when her relationship with him had still been that of casual acquaintances at best. A mid-level guild who had welcomed him and showed him friendship and compassion, and he had loved them in turn for that.

A guild that had died before his eyes despite his best efforts to protect them due to a careless twist of fate, and that loss had hunted him for a long while afterwards.

The sound of the bell signaling the end of the classes for the day cut short her dark musings, Kirito's sad silent form as he rose from his seat making her mind for her about how to act.

'_Oh well, is not like I didn't knew about his personality before marrying him.'_ She thought with a hint of fondness, while calmly placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him from leaving the room.

"Asuna?" He said in a surprised manner, as if only now noticing where he really was.

"To silently brood and worry while restraining yourself from acting is not like you at all, you really shouldn't bury your troubles like that Kirito-kun," She calmly said, a small understanding smile on her face.

"Asuna… is not that, I…" He tried to explain, a sheepish expression appearing on his face.

"None of that." Asuna firmly said, stopping his words by placing a finger upon his lips. "I know I told you to be more careful and to avoid trouble, but that doesn't mean I want you to go against your very nature."

"Kiba's situation is troubling you, and I know the only reason you haven't gotten yourself involved yet is due to mine and Rias warnings after your last little misadventure." She continued, removing her finger from his mouth and placidly resting her hand on his shoulder.

"But that doesn't mean that I want you to hurt yourself by doing nothing Kirito-kun, only that you should take care and call me when things start to get complicated so that I can bail you out of trouble."

"Don't you mean 'if' things start to get complicated?" He teasingly asked in a grateful tone of voice, the determined glint she was far more accustomed to see in his eyes slowly returning.

"No, we both know there is no 'if' things get complicated with you involved." She replied with a huff of amusement. "Just be careful and remember, you are no longer a Solo-player, you don't have to do everything by yourself."She said, leaning forward and meeting Kirito's lips in a quick kiss.

"Now go and be careful, or I will be forced to discipline you again." She finished in a mix of fondness, amusement and exasperation.

"I will Asuna, and thanks." Kirito replied with a smile firmly on his face as he turned around to leave the now empty classroom.

Watching her husband retreating form, no doubt already searching for Kiba in order to offer him what aid he could, Asuna couldn't help but shake her head in fond exasperation.

Kirito simply couldn't just stand aside if someone he knew was in trouble; it was part of his very nature. To try and stop him would only be an exercise in futility and a way to make him feel miserable.

But that didn't mean she would just let him keep doing things by himself and bringing undue danger to his person, after-all if it was his nature to help others despite the danger, it was her's to keep him safe despite his actions.

'_Guess I'll have to call the girls and inform them of what is going on.'_ She thought with a tinge of annoyance.

Even if she could understand the reasoning involved and the fact that it actually was far healthier for their friendship in the long term to come clean about it, she still hadn't completely forgiving Silica and Lizbeth for openly declaring their intent upon her husband, or Argo for her little stunt of putting the idea in their minds.

But they would also readily answer her call for help and would do their best to help her to bail Kirito out of trouble, of that she was sure, and that help would be needed before long, for just as she had said to him, she knew that it really was a matter of time before things went pear-shaped.

And so she would trust them by her side, just like back in Aincrad, to endure, fight and conquer all that could be thrown against them.

'_Now if only they would stop chasing after him…'_ She thought releasing a small sight of frustration while fetching her phone from her pocket in order to call them.

* * *

Briskly walking through the streets, Hyoudou Issei, wielder of the [Boosted Gear] and Peerage member to Rias Gremory kept searching for his targets, eyes resolute, for he was a man with a mission. Not only that but a secret mission at that!

After all Rias had no knowledge about it, having all but declared that they shouldn't get involved with the situation involving the Excaliburs and to allow the church to deal with it, least they were to get hurt in the crossfire between the Exorcists and the Fallen.

He understood that, she was a High-class Devil and probably had to deal with political repercussions and all sorts of other complicated stuff like that, it was the same reason she had first been reluctant to face the Fallen that were threatening Asia after all.

But he simply couldn't just leave his fellow Peerage member hanging by himself, especially after hearing about his past, even if that meant skirting her orders.

Kiba might be a thrice cursed pretty boy who should be cursed due to his good looks, but even so that didn't meant Issei wouldn't help him in his time of need. As comrades and fellow Peerage members he couldn't allow that!

_'Of course that doesn't mean I care about him or anything, is not like I'm friends with that damnable pretty boy. It's just good manners to help a fellow Peerage member in his time of need, that's all._' He silently thought nodding as if to confirm the validity of such an statement.

**[Forgoing your internal debate and your dubious reasoning about why you are aiding the Blond One in his quest of vengeance against an inanimate object, why are you bringing the little Hatchling along? He is hardly what you would call reliable.] **Ddraig curiously asked, the nearly ever present sense of tolerant amusement he constantly radiated growing even stronger, as if he was preparing himself to see something particularly amusing.

"Hyoudou! Why me!? It's your group's problem, right!? I belong to the House of Sitri! I shouldn't take part in this! Not at all! I'm going to get killed by Kaichou for getting involved!" Genshirou Saji, Reincarnated Devil and member of Sona Sitri's Peerage bellowed from his place at Issei's side, as if to prove Ddraig's previous statement.

"Your master, Rias-senpai, might be strict and kind! But you know what! You know Kaichou!? She's strict AND strict!" He cried out, keeping up his rant while futilely trying to escape the petite [Rook] that was calmly dragging him along despite his struggles to escape.

'_He is the only male I thought about that could help?' _He more asked than stated, giving his fellow [Pawn] struggling form a strange look. Even knowing that Koneko was a [Rook] it was still strange to see the little girl manhandle someone nearly twice her size with ease. _'And what do you mean hatchling?'_

**[I call him that for that is what he is. A young Hatchling bestowed with but a fraction of the power his full self should possess.] **He cryptically replied. **[I understand that you desire to keep this out of your [King's] attention, and that is why you did not summon the Thunder Wielder or the Healer, the absence of the Water User is also understandable due to your fear of her, but why did you not seek the Black One? He would be far more useful than this and I'm fairly certain he would heed your call for aid.]**

Issei internally agreed with the Dragon's words, and truth be told he had tried to ask Kirito for help. Only that when he had went to do just that after class had ended Kirito had been talking with Asuna, and upon seeing that, he had decided Saji was probably a better option.

'_No reason. And I'm not afraid of Asuna!'_ He sternly replied, very carefully not thinking of the times the Peerage female [Knight] had admonished him for his peeping habits and the results of such encounters.

**[You do remember I can see your thoughts as you think them right?]** Ddraig said amidst a rumbling laugh. **[At least the Young Huntress saw you and decided to grant you her aid.]**

Looking at the white haired [Rook] Issei mused that he initially hadn't thought about bringing her along, but as if reading his mind Koneko had simply followed him and refused to let him leave.

After an embarrassing minute of trying in vain to escape the steel grip of a little girl he had relented and told her his plan.

During their visit to the Club Room Irina and Xenovia had said that the Church would not allow the Fallen to keep the swords no matter what, and that destroying them was preferable rather than letting them be used by the Fallen Angels.

Meaning that destroying the blades was still possible while not breaking the Exorcists holy mission. So they would offer them help in fighting this Fallen guy that had stolen the swords and in return they would allow Kiba to destroy one of the blades as payment.

The Exorcists would get two swords back, Kiba would have his vengeance and the Fallen wouldn't get any of the stolen Excaliburs. It was a perfect plan!

'_But for some reason Saji really didn't like it.'_ He thought once again looking at the now resignedly looking [Pawn] in Koneko's grasp.

"I said it once and I'll say it again, this plan is ridiculous!" Saji said in a defeated tone of voice.

"Why do you say that? Three swords were stolen, so they won't mind if we break one of them as long as we help them get the other two."

"…You want Yuuto-senpai to overcome Excalibur in order to fulfill his wish, right?" Koneko intently asked, looking Issei in the eye.

"Kiba wants to win against Excalibur and accomplish his and his former comrades' revenge. Xenovia and Irina want to retrieve the Excaliburs from the Fallen-Angels even if they have to destroy them. So you could say that we have the same aim. What's left is to see if those two will listen to the words of us Devils." Issei answered, happy someone had understood his plan.

"…It seems difficult." Was her simple reply, as she turned her gaze back to the street.

"Yeah the negotiations probably will be pretty difficult, so if they attack us or something you can run away okay?" He said somberly, a small grimace on his face.

"…I'll stay." Koneko firmly replied, not a trace of doubt on her face.

"Let me run now! That's so irresponsible! I'll die! I'll definitely get killed!" Saji bellowed, giving his arm a futile thug in hopes of escaping Koneko's unrelenting hold.

Ignoring his fellow [Pawn's] frantic protests Issei kept looking for the two exorcists, a search that proved to be extremely easy as their robed forms stood out amidst the common clothing everyone else was wearing.

"Please give charity to us on behalf of the father in heaven!"

Blinking his eyes as if to make sure he was truly seeing the sight before his eyes, Issei gave his companions a confused look.

The sight of the two extremely dangerous Exorcists they had been warned to keep away from sitting in the street asking for charity from the people who were passing by being enough to silence even Saji's protest due to its oddness.

"How can this be? Is this the reality of the developed country of Japan? That's why I don't like countries that don't follow our beliefs." Xenovia angrily said, as people simply passed them by while giving them odd looks.

"Don't say that, Xenovia. We lost all the money we had. So we have to rely on charity from these heretics or else we can't get food, you know? Aaah, we can't even buy a single loaf of bread!" Irina replied, her cheerful tone practically absent from her voice.

"Hmph. It all happened because you bought that obviously fake looking painting!" Xenovia grumbled, clearly annoyed at her companion.

"How could I've known it was a fake?" Irina innocently asked. "I mean, how could someone do such a thing as faking a holy painting!"

"Why did my partner have to be someone like you…God, is this also a trial?" Xenovia asked with a weary sigh.

"You worry too much Xenovia, after all, even if our current situation is dire, God shall surely provide for his servants in their moment of need. Amem." She faithfully replied, all but ignoring the rumbling noise coming from her partner's empty stomach.

Staring at the scene with bemusement Issei couldn't help but wonder what had happened with the scary exorcists he had seen in the Occult Research Club yesterday.

But regardless, it presented them with a chance to start negotiations in a friendly way.

"Irina, Xenovia, how are you doing?" He asked with a smile while approaching the two Exorcists.

"Ise-kun! It's nice seeing you again. Have you decided to be judged?" She cheerfully asked, apparently finding noting odd in the meaning of her words.

"Errr… no, not really." He tentatively replied. "I had an idea that I wanted to talk with you and couldn't help but overhear you two talking about your problem. So if you want we could talk while having lunch, since we also still haven't eaten."

"Okay." Irina immediately replied, to the astonishment of her companion.

"Irina! They are Devils! We can't just accept charity from Devils of all beings!" Xenovia said in alarm.

"Xenovia we can't really proceed with our mission while being hungry, and the mission should take precedence over everything else." Irina happily said, having already raised from her seat and moving towards Issei. "Besides it can't be mere coincidence that in our time of need Ise-kun would offer us aid, this is clearly God's will."

Xenovia seemed to be thinking about how to reply, their need and her beliefs clearly at odds with each other, when a mighty grumble from her stomach apparently decided the situation for her.

"I guess that since he is the wielder of the [Boosted Gear] you could say he is a Dragon rather than a Devil. Very well, for the good of the mission we will accept your offer."

Blinking at the clearly faulty reasoning the Exorcist was using Issei nonetheless decided it didn't matter. Smiling brightly he started towards a family restaurant he knew was nearby as the two Exorcists, Koneko and a clearly flabbergasted Saji followed him.

'_This was easier than I thought it would be; now I just have to call Kiba to meet us there so we can hunt down the Excaliburs!'_ He happily thought, all but ignoring the deep laughs he could hear in the back of his mind.

* * *

Tracking down the Peerage's blonde [Knight] turned out to be surprisingly easy, even after leaving the school grounds proper and entering the woods that surrounded Kuoh academy Kirito could easily see the tracks Kiba had left behind.

Shaking off the idle thought of whether this meant he was translating his tracking Skill into the real world or not, he instead focused on the problem at hand.

Kiba's actions were completely understandable. To have companions you loved and cherished, to have those who stood by your side, sharing grief and laughter together, suddenly taken away due to the cruel disregard of fate and the idle wins of a madman, and then to have a reminder of such an event shoved into your face, it was actually kind of surprising he was managing to keep some semblance of control on his emotions.

'_After all, I fared far worse in such circumstances.'_ He grimly thought, entering a small clearing that had been ravaged by sword strikes, the few remaining trees sporting both blackened and frozen spots.

"Hello Kiba, I believe we should talk." He said in a neutral tone while staring at the panting [Knight] standing in the middle of the ravaged clearing.

"Did Rias ask you to come and find me?" Kiba sharply asked before visibly fighting to reign down his rage.

"No, I came by myself; Rias had nothing to do with it." He calmly replied, leaning against one of the still standing trees.

"So are you here to preach about how I should give up on my vengeance? You are here to say like Rias that I should abandon my hatred and forgive them for what they did?! Is that what you are going to say?! You have no idea what it was like! What I have lost!" Kiba replied. His voice rising in volume with each sentence he spoke, anger clear in his eyes.

"No, I'm not that much of a hypocrite." Kirito calmly replied in an even tone, his answer bringing Kiba's rising argument to a halt, surprise flickering on the [Knight's] eyes.

"It's normal to hate those that hurt you, to hate them for what they have done to you and your friends." He continued in deceptively calm manner, his mind remembering a group of friends he had also loved and lost. Their companionship, their understanding, their love, all forsaken in a single moment, erased due to the whims of a single man.

"To see them fall while being unable to do anything about it, to bear the weight of surviving while they perished. To ask someone to forgive those responsible for it is not only absurd, but literally impossible."

He could remember the impotent rage he had felt afterwards, never had felt so helpless, so lost, so desperate. Searching for something, anything, to make things right once more. Only to find out that his goal had been simply impossible from the very start.

"You anger is normal Kiba, but you must understand, that it can be either a source of strength, or your greatest weakness." Kirito continued, staring the [Knight] straight in the eyes, trying to convey to him the seriousness of his words.

"Anger can be a source of strength, bend your hatred into resolve and it can give you focus, it can harness your skills to a razor edge state and push you past your limits. But at the same time it can blind you, twist you into a mockery of your true self until all that remains is a hollow shell, lashing out at anything in sight while futilely trying to find an end to the pain."

He remembered how close to the edge he had gotten, in that winter night amidst the fir trees. How when he was nearly drowning in despair and self hatred he had nearly drawn his blade against Klein, how he had faced a Field Boss by himself, knowing perfectly well his odds of survival, all for a prize that he knew deep down simply wasn't possible.

He knew the truth even if he would never voice it out loud, not even to Asuna. He knew what he had been subconsciously seeking that winter night when he faced a foe all logic said he couldn't defeat by himself, he knew it with the same certainty as he knew that if not for Sachi's last gift he would have never made it out of SAO.

Only that Kiba hadn't been so lucky, there had been no farewell, no kind words to assure him it was alright to move own, that they didn't want him to give it all up but in fact wanted him to carry on.

"It's alright to mourn them, to never forget them and to remember everything you lived together, both the good and the bad, but don't allow that to stop you from looking into the future."

"I know you want vengeance Kiba, and truth be told I don't have any right in stopping you from seeking it. Not after what I have done while lost to grief." He said, pain clear in his voice.

"But please, don't let this desire consume you; for in the end, it's our duty to live for them. To live the lives they would have wanted, after all, how sad would they be to think that they were holding us back." He finished with a small pained smile, his eyes full of sorrow, longing and understanding.

The silence that filled the clearing afterwards was long and deep as they stared at each other, Kiba's eyes holding such a mix of emotions in their depths that one simply couldn't tell what they held within.

After a moment that lasted an eternity the [Knight] moved towards the tree Kirito was leaning against, lowering himself to seat by its trunk.

"We were all orphans, having nothing on our names, no one to care for us, so when the Church came and offered us a warm place to sleep and food to eat, we were understandably grateful." He started in a barely audible tone of voice, gaze lost in remembrance.

"It started harmlessly enough; they would take blood samples or do simple tests, always saying how we were helping the Church and the powers above, how we were aiding in the fight against the encroaching darkness. For kids that had nothing before, those words were great sources of pride and happiness, so we gladly aided them in their research." He said in a bitter tone, disgust clear on his face.

"It wasn't until some of us started disappearing, one after the other with absolutely no explanations given afterwards that we started to suspect something was wrong. We may have been children, but we were not stupid and could see that things were not right."

"I never found out the reason why they did it, if it was due to our growing suspicion or if whoever was in charge simply decided the project had run its course, regardless of the reason, they choose to end it." He said in barely controlled anger, clenching his hands into fists, his knuckles turning white with the pressure of his grip. "Most didn't even have the chance to leave their beds as the gas flooded the facility, killing them before they could even try to run."

"I remember moving towards the dormitory, I'm not even sure why I was out of it now, but upon reaching it all I saw was my friends either laying on the floor or in their beds, completely unmoving, and then it hit me, the pain, the burning sensation in my eyes and lungs, the coppery taste as I started to cough up blood."

"I turned around and blindly ran, not thinking, not knowing where I was going; only attempting to get as far away from what I had seen as I possibly could, guided by my desire for survival." He bitterly said, tears in his closed eyes and pain lacing his every word.

"Somehow I got out of the facility, all the personnel that had been working there having apparently being called back before they released the gas. I don't know how long I walked through the forests that surrounded the facility, only that by daybreak I couldn't move any longer."

"And as I stood there, the pain in my chest growing and growing as it became harder and harder to breath, a surprised gasp resounded trough the waning night." He continued with a mirthless smile. "A young red haired Devil who had been on vacation in Italy had heard me stumbling at the woods near the village she was spending the night and came to my aid, resurrecting me as a Devil to save me from dying."

"I'm grateful for what Rias has done, she gave me life, a place to stay and even her friendship. But I can't forgive the Church for what they did, for how they threw us away like garbage in their search for how to create artificial holy sword wielders."

"Even if this brings problems for Rias, even if it means that I must forsake the gifts she has given me, the souls of my comrades wouldn't allow me to rest, not now when the source of their deaths lies within my reach." He finished his voice once again rising in anger, a pained look on his face.

Giving the [Knight] an understanding look, Kirito moved forward, hand extended towards his sitting form.

"I get it Kiba. Even if I still think you are doing this the wrong way, I understand why you would feel this way, why you would feel you have to do this. But let me tell you something Asuna had to hammer into my thick head, you don't have to do this by yourself."

Kiba stood there in silence, simply staring at the hand that was extended towards him, and what the action implied.

After a few more moments of contemplation he grabbed Kirito's hand, accepting his help in getting to his feet.

"I'm sorry, and thanks." The [Knight] quietly said, a small smile on his face.

"Don't mention it." Kirito replied sporting a similar smile.

But as the [Rook] and the [Knight] turned around to head back to the city proper, Kiba's cell phone started to ring.

"Issei what is it?" He asked after seeing it was the [Pawn] that was calling him.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

While nearly all the main cast in Highschool DxD have tragic pasts, I was actually quite surprised at the parallels that could be found between Kiba's situation regarding the Holy Sword Project and Kirito's situation with the Black Cats.

Both had the people they loved, their friends and companions, ripped away from them in a single moment due to the whims of a crazed genius as they watched, unable to help.

So I felt that Kirito would be uniquely suited to sympathize and try to help Kiba in dealing with his anger and survivor guilt.

This chapter was pretty tame compared to the last one and the next one will also have a lot of conflict, but while I could have pushed it to include a battle scene, extending the chapter a little, somehow it didn't feel right to do so.

So I left the battles to the next chapters, dedicating this one exclusively to the emotional side of the arc.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	21. Chapter 21 - The Hunt Begins

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, I would like to apologize for the delayed update. I could give dozens of excuses for the delay, but the truth is that I had my first brush with the infamous writer's block.

I knew how I wanted this chapter to go, I had the core scenes of the chapter clear in my mind, and I knew how I wanted to develop it. But despite all that, every single time I tried to type it up, to translate my ideas into words, the words simply refused to flow, it was a truly infuriating feeling.

In the end following a friend's advice I took a step back and focused in order things for awhile, allowing the dust to settle in a manner of speaking, until the block went away and I could put my ideas back into writing.

But while it did indeed work, in the end it meant quite a delay for the story, so, sorry about that.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**The Hunt Begins**

Looking around the table in the nice little diner Issei had asked Kiba to meet him Kirito idly wondered if this was how Asuna usually felt when he appeared out of nowhere with one of his plans already in motion and halfway done.

Because if that was so he definitely owed her some apologies, being on the receiving end of someone else's crazy ideas while not having time to mentally prepare oneself for it was quite a bit more than just a little disturbing.

Somehow, and he wasn't really sure he truly wanted to have that question answered, Issei had managed to convince the two deadly sword users who had all but threatened their entire Peerage with execution by holy fire yesterday into peacefully working alongside them in retrieving the Excalibur Fragments.

All for the nearly insignificant modicum price of allowing Kiba to destroy one of the unique and utterly priceless fragments of the most famous blade to ever grace the world with its existence.

'_Yes, if this is how Asuna usually feels I definitely owe her an apology.'_ He though while releasing a sigh, gaining an enquiring look from the petit [Rook] sitting by his side.

Giving a small smile and a barely perceptible shake of his head he conveyed that everything was alright, receiving a small nod in kind as an answer.

Holding back a small smile he kept his attention on the situation at hand, even if it still slightly surprised him how much he and Koneko could talk and convey to one another without ever even opening their mouths.

For instance when he and Kiba had reached the dinner to the unique sight of two exorcists and three Devils of two different Peerages sharing a table while having lunch, he merely looked at Koneko for an explanation and immediately received an two word answer that still managed to perfectly explain to him everything that was happening and why the little white haired girl was there.

"…Helping Kiba."

Fighting down a small burst of amusement upon remembering Asuna joking that he and Koneko were kindred spirits he refocused on what was happening around him.

Kiba had just told the others his story, and the reactions of the group were something quite telling, allowing him to gauge the readiness of his future party members in the quest to come.

Irina had a downtrodden expression on her face, as if she desired she could somehow correct the wrongdoings of the past, but there was also steel in her eyes. She would not falter in the fight to come, of that he was sure.

Xenovia was keeping a nearly unreadable mask over her emotions, her face appearing as if it was chiseled from stone, but her eyes were simmering with a controlled fury that spoke of her desire to deliver judgment upon those responsible.

And that had been a welcomed surprise. Both exorcists had known about Kiba's past, and more importantly they knew the name of the one responsible for it, Galilei Balba the 'Genocide Archbishop', an excommunicated former high ranked member of the Church who was obsessed with holy weapons, stopping at nothing in his quest to understand them.

It had been his forbidden research in regards to the Excalibur Fragments and the subsequent extermination of the children he had illegally experimented upon that had led him to flee the Church before he could be brought to justice.

And this same man was suspected of being allied with Kokabiel, the same Fallen that had stolen three of the Excalibur Fragments and was hiding in this very city.

If there was one thing Kirito had learned to be wary about during a quest was an apparent coincidence, for more often than not they had far more importance than one would ever suspect, not to mention the uncomfortable habit of springing up trouble when one least expected it.

Kiba's barely constrained rage upon hearing the name and the fire that it lit in his eyes told Kirito that the [Knight] agreed with his intuition, that Balba was probably deep into this situation as well.

He only hoped that Kiba would not allow his emotions to blind him and do something stupid in order to get his vengeance.

Koneko was radiating a silent determination, showing that like he himself, she was more than ready to aid Kiba in the trial's to come.

Saji and Issei's reaction was… unique to say the least.

Issei had been enthusiastic at first, while Saji was clearly showing signs that he didn't want to be here and was silently wondering what exactly had gone wrong with his day for him to end in this particular situation.

But after hearing Kiba's tale it was like he had become a completely different person, Issei following along on his fellow [Pawn] newborn determination.

"Kiba! It must have been horrible! It must have been painful! Damn it! I understand why you hold a grudge against those people from the Church for what has happened!" Saji said in a passionate tone, tears freely falling from his eyes as he raised his clenched fist to his chest.

"To tell you the truth, I didn't like you before because you were a good looking guy. You effortlessly had the interest of nearly the entire female population of our school and that just made me want to curse you or something!" He said as Issei solemnly nodded from his side.

"But it's different now! I will also help! Even if that means latter being punished by Kaichou! Together we will destroy Excalibur and avenge your friends! You also have to live on! Don't ever betray Rias-senpai who saved you!"

"Yes! Even if you are a damnable pretty boy, we will aid you! Rias-Buchou would be sad if you were gone so make sure you live on!" Issei interjected a fire on his eyes.

"Okay! It's a good time! I want you guys to hear my story! You guys should know about me if we are working together!" Saji suddenly said, his eyes glistering with determination.

"Kaichou is my entire world; she helped me and gave me purpose so I try to live up to her standards! But my dream, my ultimate goal, that which I aspire to accomplish is… to make her pregnant and marry her!"

A sudden silence filled their table after Saji proud declaration, a silence that was quickly broken by a completely unperturbed Issei, who had risen from his chair, eyes glistering just like his fellow [Pawn].

"Saji, I knew there was a reason why I asked you to come!" Issei passionately declared. "You understand the true beauty of the world! Listen! My dream is to grope Buchou's oppai, and to suckle them!"

"Hyoudouuuu! Do you know what you are saying? Do you understand how hard that dream is, to touch the oppai of your master?" He asked in incredulity

"Saji. You can touch it. You can touch your master's oppai! I actually groped Buchou's oppai with this very hand!" He proudly declared raising his fist as it was a priceless treasure. "It may be a distant dream, reaching our Master's oppai may be a far away goal. But it's not like you can't reach it."

"Saji! We may be useless [Pawn's] if we are just by ourselves. But it's different if it's the two of us. We can fly if it's the two of us! We can fight if it's the two of us! We can do it if it's the two of us! We can make them pregnant and marry them if it's the two of us! Let's have sex with our masters!" Issei proudly declared, grabbing Saji's hand's as he conveyed the seriousness of his words.

"Yes! Together we shall achieve our dreams!" Saji shouted in agreement.

Kirito simply stared as some kind of morbid fascination kept him silent as the two [Pawns] formed a bound trough their truly fractured view of reality and perverted dreams, completely uncaring of the stares they were receiving from every single person inside the diner and the deep silence from all around them.

"…The worst." Koneko simply declared, breaking the spell the two perverts action's had created.

"…Ahaha… Please forgive them their enthusiasm…" Kiba sheepishly said to the two wide eyed exorcists', apparently forgetting his rage for a moment due to the strangeness of the situation and the need to salvage some of their race's reputation. "They mean well but… please don't judge the rest of Devil-kind by their actions…"

Closing his eyes Kirito let out a near silent breath while discreetly moving his chair so he could interpose himself between Koneko and the still celebrating pair of [Pawn's] if necessary, just in case.

Shaking his head he started to focus on the task at hand and how best to proceed about completing it, after all this wasn't the weirdest party he had been a part of, even if he was fairly certain it was easily amidst the top five at the very least.

'_This is going to be an interesting day, I just know it.' _He though in resignation, idly typing a message on his cell phone and sending it while ignoring the antics that were happening around him.

* * *

Calmly sitting in a comfortable chair in a the shaded spot of an outdoor café near Kuoh's academy, Suguha couldn't help but feel bemused and slightly frustrated by the oddness that seemed to have become the norm of her life.

Looking upward towards the clouds for a moment in order to gather her thoughts she silently acknowledge the small part of her mind that was insisting that even for someone that had been reborn as a mythical species most of humanity didn't believe existed and was training to become a magical swordfighter this was most definitely an odd situation.

She knew that she really didn't have that much life experience to draw parallels from, but even so she was fairly certain that calmly sitting with her adoptive brother's, and secret love interest, sort of wife, his adoptive former AI daughter, his two other possible love interests, who were actually attempting to convince said sort of wife to share him with them in a polygamous relationship, and a calm minded sniper who had a serious case of hero worship for him, was very far from normal.

Adding in the fact they had been gathered by the sort of wife in order to prepare to help him in a struggle against Fallen Angels that had stolen fragments of a legendary blade turned the whole situation into such an oddity, into something so out of the ordinary, that it could probably set a record or something.

"Suguha Oba-chan, is there something wrong?" A small innocent voice called her from her side, ending her trance like state of mind.

"Is nothing Yui, I'm just trying to process it all. It's just that I simply can't believe that Kazuto-kun is already getting tangled with a new problem! I mean it has been little more than a month since the 'Death Gun' situation." She calmly replied with a resigned smile.

She still didn't like the suffix the adorable little girl insisted on calling her in the slightest, but she simply couldn't bear the thought of berating her for it, especially when she was under the gaze of those huge innocent doe-like eyes.

'_It would be like kicking a puppy, an incredibly adorable puppy.'_ Her mind unhelpfully provided as she held back an annoyed sigh, knowing deep within her soul that she would never be able to make Yui stop calling her that.

"You shouldn't worry Suguha Oba-chan, as Mama always says, Papa is a trouble magnet. It's really rare for him to not get involved into weird situations." The black haired girl proudly declared, as if such a fact was actually something positive and worth of praise.

Giving the chestnut haired girl sitting across from her an enquiring look, Suguha wordless conveyed her confusion; after all it simply wasn't possible that her adopted brother could get into such situations that regularly, right?

"Unfortunately Yui is right. Back on Aincrad it was very unusual when a couple of weeks would pass without one thing or another happening around Kirito-kun, normally with him being right in the center of the whole mess." Asuna said with a bemused air, her tone simultaneously conveying both resignation and fondness. "The one time we had a relatively peaceful month ended with him uncovering that the leader of my guild was actually Kayaba in disguise and fighting him in a death duel for the freedom of all the SAO players."

Suguha simply blinked at those words, her mouth slightly open and her mind at a loss for words. At the very least she could take some solace that Asada-san, or as she had taken to being called within the Peerage Sinon-san, seemed to be as perplexed as she felt, while Lizbeth and Silica were simply trading slightly bemused looks with Asuna.

And that was one more thing that gave Suguha pause. She knew that Asuna was not happy with the duo's intentions towards Kazuto, a fact she had made perfectly clear in a very precise, if slightly intimidating, manner.

And yet despite that she could practically feel the bonds of trust and friendship between the three of them, a feeling that was only reinforced by the fact she had immediately called both girls for help, ready to trust them even through the troubles ahead.

It was almost as if their fallout regarding Kazuto-kun had been put on hold until after the problem was solved and they could confirm he was alright.

"I see, so I take that Kirito-kun helping me during the tournament wasn't exactly unexpected?" Sinon asked in a curious manner, already reigning in her surprise and confusion.

"Hardly, if anything it was the norm." Lizbeth huffed in amusement, setting down her now empty glass of juice.

"Our little black clad hero has the annoying tendency of rescuing damsels in distress. How do you think each one of us met him? Well with the possible exception of Suguha, but personally I wouldn't bet on that." The [Rook] teasingly said with a small grin.

Fighting down the incoming blush she could feel trying to creep up to her checks, Suguha pretended not to notice all the eyes looking her way, while fruitlessly trying not to think about a certain afternoon so long ago when Kazuto had saved her from drowning.

"Anyway, so things will likely get serious pretty soon, what can you tell us about our opponent's capabilities?" Sinon asked with a glint in her eyes, a glint that reminded Suguha of a predator eyeing a particular tasty prey.

Deciding to banish her confused thoughts about her adoptive brother, and the even more confusing truth of his possible love life for later, and focus on the situation at hand, Suguha acknowledge the sniper's question.

After all, if conflict was as unavoidable as the others were saying, it was best to be prepared rather than be caught unaware.

The fact she was fairly certain Sinon wasn't interested in her brother in a romantic manner having nothing to do with her acknowledging the truth of the [Bishop's] words.

"Unfortunately there isn't much information about our opponent's, only that they are lead by Kokabiel, an extremely powerful Fallen. But it's very likely that we shall face both other lesser Fallen and Stray Exorcists, so caution will be extremely necessary." Asuna immediately replied, steel entering her eyes with every word she spoke.

"All of you must have heard about the dangers of light magic and Holy Swords, the warning's Argo most likely gave about them, so let me tell you from firsthand experience, if anything those warnings don't do the danger of it enough justice."

"A single cut from one of the Excaliburs will give you a nearly crippling amount of pain, not only that but the light infused in the blade will drain your demonic power at an alarming rate. The fact that the Excaliburs are amidst the strongest holy weapons probably means that the other weapons of our enemies will have a far lesser effect, but avoidance and evasion will still be paramount in the battle to come."

"So in a nutshell, treat them like those annoying mobs that can cause serious status effects with a single hit?" Lizbeth cautiously asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "That sucks, but is not something we haven't dealt with before."

Shaking her head slightly Suguha wondered if some day she would start acting so casually about such situations. She could tell that despite the levity of her words the [Rook] wasn't joking about the matter, in her eyes it was simply one more battle.

'_What exactly happened inside that game?'_ She thought not for the first time, wondering how much a person could change due to outside circumstances.

"This is it."Asuna suddenly said looking to the cell phone in her hand, bringing their attention back to the matter at hand. "Kirito and the others are moving, he linked up with Koneko, Kiba, Issei and somehow Saji and the two Exorcists."

"…What?" Lizbeth asked, succinctly summarizing Suguha's own thought in the matter.

"It's Kirito-kun." Silica jokingly answered, as if that was by itself all the answer needed.

'_Then again, if this really is the norm, maybe it is.'_ She thought in bemusement, a hint of a smile appearing on her face.

"So where are they going?" Sinon calmly asked, even as her own amusement leaked into her voice.

"He didn't say, all I know is that they are moving towards the northern part of the city." Asuna replied with a hint of annoyance.

"Papa is currently traversing between blocks twelve and fourteen of the northwest part of town, analyzing his movements they appear to be heading towards the industrial sector locate near block nineteen." Yui calmly replied, a smile on her face.

"Yui… how do you know that?" Asuna asked amidst the curious looks directed towards the little black haired former AI.

"I'm tracking Papa's cell phone!" Yui proudly answered, causing a moment of stunned silence all around.

"Good work Yui." Asuna replied after a moment, an amused smile on her face. "So girls, let's move out."

Giving up on fighting down her own smirk Suguha rose from her seat, following the others as they left the café.

'_It's time to see things from your side of the mirror, Kazuto-kun.'_ She idly thought, already analyzing how to tackle the problem at hand. _'And besides, normalcy is overrated anyway.'_

* * *

Looking around the slightly rundown industrial neighborhood they were entering, the rows of apparently closed down warehouses and buildings, Kirito idly wondered if the game rule that all Boss battles had to happen on topical backgrounds was translated to the real world.

The Exorcist were able to track down the stolen blades to somewhere in the northern part of the city, but the tracking spells weaved into the very forging of the swords was apparently being blocked, rendering a more precise lock of their target impossible.

Had them been by themselves that would mean a painstakingly slow process of elimination, as they searched building by building for the presence of the thieves. But with the aid of the Devils in the party, the point became an obvious non issue.

'_I wonder if this lack of shielding is intentional or a mere lack of knowledge from the Church?'_ He silently pondered while following the unnerving feeling of the stolen holy weapons. _'I mean, I doubt there were many Devils that would willingly tell them how easy it's to feel the power of those blades, but at the same time leaving them unshielded could be a strong psychological weapon.'_

After narrowing down the location where the Excalibur Fragment's could be, it had been quite trivial to find the right place, all they had to do was to go towards the ever increasing holy power the blades seemed to radiate constantly.

For just like Xenovia and Irina's blades radiated holy power even while sealed, the same was true about the stolen swords.

Looking at the large warehouse that was their apparent destination he couldn't help but compare it with a Boss room. It was an old and dilapidated nearly two stories tall building, the small windows that lined the sides near the roof covered in dirt or broken giving it a slightly ominous appearance.

"So what exactly is the plan?" Saji asked in a worried tone, warily eyeing the large double doors they were approaching.

"Let's just go in there and deal with this." Kiba nearly spat out, clenching his fists in anger and ready to barge into the building if not for Kirito resting a hand on his shoulder.

"When we reach the enemy it will be best to allow me and Koneko to strike first, we being [Rook's] allowing us to weather the first strike if necessary, Irina and Kiba are the fastest among us so they should try and flank the enemy, Xenovia, you and Issei them should pick targets and finish them off, Saji try and support those who appear to need it most." He calmly stated, once again thinking about the parallels between the current situation and a Boss raid.

"Stay together and on alert, and Issei, now would be a good moment for you to start [Boosting]."

Receiving a series of nods, some enthusiastic, some grudgingly given, he walked towards the doors; the faint **[Boost]** sounding from behind him showing Issei had activated his [Boosted Gear].

The inside of the warehouse was extremely large, containers and crates littering the space turning the empty area into a labyrinthine mess, catwalks littering the walls and crisscrossing above them, the few sunrays that filtered through the scarcely placed transparent tiles on the roof giving enough light to see while shrouding entire areas of the room in darkness.

As they walked through a large corridor formed by old containers towards the far end of the warehouse where the holy aura was strongest, Kirito couldn't help but feel that the building was an excellent ambush point.

"Stay alert, the positioning of those containers is far too convenient to be coincidence." Xenovia quietly whispered unknowingly confirming Kirito's own suspicions, eyes darting around from shadow to shadow as she searched for any sign of an ambush. "Irina, move out towa…"

But her words were cut short when Kirito burst forward into a blur of movement, blades encased in demonic energy and already swinging with unnatural speed as he placed himself before a surprised looking Issei.

The sound of steel meeting steel resounded trough the building as a white clad figure clashed with the black-clad [Rook] with incredible speed, materializing as if out of thin air, a manic grin on his face as he pushed his holy blade against Kirito's awaiting swords.

"Ahhhh! No fair! You can't just barge in into a reunion between old friends like this you know! I was looking forward to killing Issei-kun after-all!" Complained the white haired red eyed man as he kept pushing against Kirito's crossed blades.

"Freed!" Issei shouted out in surprise while Kiba rushed forward, a flaming sword materializing on his hand as he lunged towards the demented stray exorcist.

"Yahooo. It's been a while you shity Devils." Freed cheerfully exclaimed even as he blurred away in a burst of speed as Kiba's blade passed through the exact point his head had been resting less than a second before.

"Oh I could feel the killing intent in that strike! That makes me all tingly inside!" He exclaimed in apparent ecstasy from the middle of an open area further into the building. "To think I'll have a new chance to kill you all! Isn't it exciting Issei-kun!"

Watching the clearly crazy man in front of him all but wriggling in anticipation with the mere thought of killing them, Kirito finally recognized the man from the stories the others had told him from before he had joined the Peerage.

Freed Sellzen, a stray exorcist and skillful swordsman, who cared for nothing but the thrill of combat and slaughtering his enemies, regardless of who said enemies were or what they had done.

Ignoring the man's rambling Kiba once again darted forth, his blade a crimson streak as he clashed with Freed's blade.

"Ohoh! So it wasn't only that light erasing sword, you got a flame sword as well!" He asked in glee before blurring into place, his holy sword nothing but a flash of light, throwing Kiba back as his flaming sword shattered upon contact with the holy weapon. "But it seems your blades aren't a match for my Excalibur-chan!"

Reading himself to charge at the first opportunity, Kirito watched from the corner of his eyes that the others were slowly encircling the still rambling exorcist, who was completely focused on the enraged [Knight] that was getting back on his feet.

"Hahaha! The way you look at my Excalibur-chan is scary! Do you perhaps hold a grudge against it? Well I don't know what happened to you! But if you get cut by this, you can't avoid being eliminated without a trace you know?! You will die, you know! You are going to die! Just die already!" He shouted in a frenzy.

"You always lacked patience Freed." A calm serene voice said from above, immediately acquiring the focus of all those present bellow.

And old man with grey hair and wearing clerical robes stood in one of the catwalks near the end of the warehouse, calmly looking trough a small pair of spectacles at the situation bellow.

"But to think I would once again meet the holder of [Sword Birth] at the verge of completing my work, how fortunate."

"Galilei Balba!" Xenovia all but spat out the name, pointing her Excalibur towards him threateningly. "For crimes against the Holy Church and the Almighty, you have been sentence to death, surrender now and your end shall be merciful."

Ignoring the threats from the Exorcists, the excommunicated archbishop simply took in all of them, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Two more Excallibur Fragments and several Sacred Gear users, including one of the Sacred Gear's which started it all, truly a princely gift. Your aid to my research is greatly appreciated."

The way he was speaking, as if he had already all but won, sent alarm bells ringing down Kirito's mind, immediately pushing him to scan his surroundings, searching for what his gut already knew was about to happen.

"You think you and that crazy bastard can take us down all by yourselves?" Issei taunted, his [Boosted Gear] choosing that moment to announce his second **[Boost]** as if to punctuate his words.

"Please, as if I would lower myself to such meaningless tasks. I'm a researcher, not a fighter." The old archbishop calmly said as his serene smile slowly morphed into a condescending smirk. "And as for doing this by ourselves, I most certainly assure you that such thoughts never even crossed my mind."

And as if his words were a signal, the sound of dozens of heavy footsteps from all around them resounded through the warehouse, as Kirito spun around in order to look at the heavily armored men that had appeared from the countless small corridors created by the containers and crates that littered the building.

Taking in the several score of heavily armored men that were slowly surrounding them, the large halberds they were wielding with an ease that denoted their experience and the countless symbols that seemed to pulse with holy power and littered both their weapons and the plate mail they were wearing, Kirito couldn't help but form a single thought as he lowered his center of gravity and brought his swords to bear while the others also took position besides him in a rough circle.

'_I knew this was going to be one of those days…'_

* * *

A frown marring her features as she walked through the large manor the Dantalion's had acquired for their stay in the city, Megumi Hikari couldn't help but wonder exactly what her master was up to.

She knew with absolute certainty that Tsukino-sama, or as she had taken a liking to being called recently Argo-sama, was planning something. The signs had been clear as day that something was afoot fron the moment they had first acquired the information about the Excaliburs theft days ago.

Normally that wouldn't be a problem, after all scheming and working from behind the scenes was practically a tradition for a Dantalion. So the fact that Argo was up to something was hardly surprising, point in fact it was the norm, not the exception.

But when the situation involved an enemy of Kokabiel's caliber, someone who had survived the Great War itself, she couldn't help but question her master's wisdom in allowing nearly her entire Peerage to act unsupervised and rush headlong into the mess.

She knew Argo cared about the Peerage, she had seen firsthand the bonds she had formed with those whom she had chosen to lead, the trust she gave them that before had been limited to only her immediate family and Megumi herself.

And she knew that she had a convoluted plan, probably backed by the clan itself, in order to avoid the worst case scenario from happening.

But the problem remained that her fellow Peerage members were still going against a half mad high ranking Fallen while she and her [King] stayed behind, and that irked her profoundly.

Fighting back an aggravated sigh she entered the large library that her [King] had all but repurposed into a command center during the last few days, looking through the array's and images that were littering the vast space in the center of the room she searched for her oldest friend mischievous form, her eyes immediately narrowing upon seeing the brown haired girl looking upon a diagram placed upon the table on the far side of the room, a large smirk discernible on her face even with the distance.

"You really should lighten up a bit Megumi, your face is far prettier when you smile." Argo chirped happily without even looking up.

"Tsukino-sama, I've just received confirmation that members of Gremory-sama and Sitri-sama's Peerages have come into conflict with Kokabiel's underlings and believe that some members of our own Peerage shall join the conflict shortly." She relayed in a flat tone of voice, not even trying to disguise her displeasure at the situation.

"You are pissed." Argo calmly stated with a small smirk on her face as she looked at her [Queen]. "You only talk to me that formally when you are pissed. So what's the problem?"

"What's the problem?"Megumi asked incredulously. "The girl's are heading straight into a fight with the underlings of a mad Fallen at this very moment and you ask me what's the problem?!"

"Steps were taken to minimize the risks should the worse happen and you know it, and it's time for them to have a taste of what awaits in the darkness of our world anyway. Besides such actions are necessary if things are to proceed according to the plan." Argo replied in a calm tone of voice, her eyes shining with an inner light as she held Megumi's gazed locked on her own. "You know I wouldn't allow such actions to occur frivolously Megumi."

"I know that…" She said in a frustrated murmur, averting her eyes. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"What makes you think that I like it any more than you do?" Argo flippantly replied, rising from her seat and walking towards Megumi's distressed form. "But that doesn't mean it's not necessary."

"All we can do is guarantee that everything is ready and that all safety nets are in place should the worst happen." She stated while a far more predatory smile entered her face as she rested a hand on Megumi's shoulder.

"And prepare so that when everything is said and done our dear little interlopers can fully understand what it really means messing with our little family." She proclaimed with dead seriousness, her ever present smile disappearing for a single moment.

"So no more mopping around, we have finishing touches to complete after all." She joyfully said proceeding to the door, the sudden flash of seriousness disappearing as if it had never been there.

Letting out a long sigh Megumi followed after, knowing that at this point there was nothing she could do but proceed as planned and trust that Argo knew what she was doing.

"Things can never be simple can they? Everything always has to be complicated with you around." She stated in a matter of fact tone, a hint of warmth entering her words despite everything.

"Don't think about it as complicated, think about it as interesting!" Argo proudly declared, a fanged smile stretching her face from cheek to cheek.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Now let me tell just one thing that always irked me about Kokabiel's arc: and that fact is that he had only two Stray Exorcists as his minions.

I mean, Raynare, a no name fallen with a single pair of wings, had dozens of Stray Exorcists and three other Fallen as her lackeys; while Kokabiel, one of the Watchers, the Angel of the Stars, one of the leaders of the Grigori, an extremely powerful Fallen with five pairs of wings, only had two Stray Exorcists at his back and call? I mean seriously!?

And there isn't even the flimsy excuse of him trying to go under the radar with a small force to explain it, since his plans was to be found out from the beginning in order to restart the Great War.

That always bothered me a lot, so that's why in my story he is going to have some subordinates with him like a proper antagonist should.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	22. Chapter 22 - Hammer Fall

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, I would like to give a very special thanks to **The**** Crimson Lord** for allowing me to use one of his ideas in this story.

I won't say more up here in order to not spoil the chapter; the full explanation will be at the author's notes at the end of it.

Thirdly, it's been a while since I wrote such a battle intensive chapter, point in fact I believe I haven't truly devoted a whole chapter to battle scenes since the [Rating Game] against Raiser on chapter six. But I believe this went well enough, hope you enjoy it.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Hammer Fall **

Swords at the ready and legs bent, ready to spring forward at the smallest sign of an attack Kirito kept quickly scanning the several score of heavily armored opponents that were surrounding them, silently analyzing their opposition as he readied himself for the inevitable clash.

Their armor appeared to be extremely sturdy and the slightly glowing symbols radiating holy energy that decorated nearly every single surface of the plate mail made him hazard that there was more than mere metal to the knights defense.

The large halberds they were wielding also sported said holy symbols, the holy aura enveloping the weapons, alongside their long three feet blades were a sure sign that he shouldn't let himself be hit needlessly.

But even while an impressive display, proudly showing their defensive and offensive prowess, their equipment also highlighted their weakness, a flaw to be exploited as much as possible in the looming battle.

'_Tanks.'_ He thought with finality, eyes roaming from one enemy to the other. _'Hard hitting and can take a punch, but completely lacking in agility or speed.'_

"Knights Templar." Xenovia all but spat out, her hands tightening her grip on her blade; body ready to strike at a moment's notice. "How the mighty have fallen, to think their order would actively align themselves with you."

"Who…?" Issei asked in confusion, fists raised before his face as his eyes nervously darted around.

"An order of Knights that works at the fringes of the Church's influence, for while their devotion is unquestionable, their extreme actions and radical beliefs often make them clash with other followers of Christianity and their respective organizations." Irina replied, a frown marring her features.

Listening with only half an ear in order to see if he could gleam any useful information, Kirito couldn't help but wonder if he really wanted to know what exactly an organization such as the Church, that would toss Asia aside simply for healing a Devil, found to be extreme.

"Unlike the Church the Knights Templar understands the simple fact that the end justifies the means. That all actions are valid in the path that leads to the destruction of the darkness." Gallillei calmly replied while waving his hands in a dismissive gesture.

"Look at my research for instance, I found a reliable way of allowing even an ordinary person to wield holy weapons, and yet they toss me aside and brand me a criminal for my achievements." He continued, traces of anger entering his tone as he idly played with a glowing blue crystal on his hands.

"Who cares if the process requires the sacrifice of some in order to extract the small trace amounts of latent light energy found inside the human body, the ability to choose future wielders of sacred relics and weapons instead of laboriously seeking those who naturally can wield them is more than worth the price."

"You bastard…!" Kiba hissed, knuckles turned white as he grabbed his remade sword in anger, eyes locked on Galillei and the blue crystal on his hands.

Ignoring the excommunicated bishop's words Kirito focused into a far more relevant fact. Behind the enemy lines and arrayed alongside a catwalk that stood near the far left corner of the warehouse where half a dozen Templars armed with large heavy duty crossbows, arrows aglow with holy energy and pointing straight at them.

'_That can be a problem…'_ He calmly thought, wondering how to deal with them. He could see the enemies intention, pin them down with the Tanks while bombarding them from above, moving in for the finishing blow after weakening them.

Catching Koneko's gaze he saw the small white haired [Rook] inclining her head slightly, silently showing she had also seen the potential threat and enquiring how to proceed.

He knew they couldn't allow the enemy to take the initiative, after all making the first move would grant them and advantage and allow them to break off the encirclement they were suffering.

But at the same time their opponents leader apparent love for monologuing was giving them precious time, each second wasted allowing Issei to grow a little more in power, as the fourth quiet **[Boost.]** he had just heard proved, and if the enemy was stupid enough to allow that to happen, who was he to say otherwise?

But while weighting the pros and cons of either option, seeing movement from the corner of his eyes made the decision for him. Another score of crossbow wielding knights were climbing towards the catwalks at the far right side of the warehouse, clearly intending to put them under a crossfire.

'_Seems like Issei will have to make do with four boosts.'_ Kirito thought while slightly inclining his head towards the first group of knights above and making a small following gesture to Koneko, receiving a barely perceptible nod in acknowledgment.

"Won't you surrender?" Gallillei asked from his perch above them in a fake polite tone, a smirk clear on his face. "I would hate to unnecessarily damage such fine specimens, if you give up I promise to b…"

Not waiting for the archbishop to finish his words Kirito surged forward with speed that belittle his Evil Piece, both blades enveloped in demonic energy as he neared the armored wall that was blocking his path, Koneko following closely behind.

Bringing both swords down in a blinding fast strike against the surprised knight before him he allowed the energy gathered on his blades to blast forward upon contact with the plate mail, throwing the knight away with concussive force.

Not wasting a single second he immediately spun around his heals; swords once again alight with demonic power as he made four strikes against the knight at his side, a shimmering vertical square of energy appearing in the air for a moment after his strike, knocking his foe to the ground.

The very next instant he felt a pressure upon his shoulders, Koneko having reached him and using his back as a platform, launching herself upwards at breakneck speeds, her fists encased in white energy as she stroke down the very catwalk the knights had been intent on using as a firing platform.

A resounding crack resounded through the building as she punched the metal structure itself, allowing the very weight of the structure and the bodies resting upon it to bring it to the ground.

Reading himself once again Kirito prepared to march on, less than three seconds having passed since the beginning of their assault. But before he could take a single step forward words echoed throughout the warehouse, the power within them bringing his onslaught to a halt.

"We are the hammer of justice."

"We are the shield of the faithful."

"We are the sword of righteousness."

Chanting in unison, their voices resounding in harmony and brimming with unshakable faith, the Knights Templar brought their weapons to bear. Unminding of the sudden attack they had suffered, the ones who had been thrown down slowly rising with unbending determination despite any injury they may have acquired.

Fighting down the scathing headache that was assaulting his senses Kirito forced his suddenly heavy arms to move, interposing his swords between himself and the halberd that was swiftly descending towards his head.

Blocking the attack with far more effort than it should have been necessary he notice with growing alarm that only Xenovia and Irina seemed unaffected by what was happening.

All the others were reacting the same way, their movements far slower and more forceful than the norm, clear signs of pain in their faces as they struggled against the holy power that thrummed within the chant, as they fought down the holy energies that now seemed to saturate the very air they were breathing.

Jumping backwards to avoid a second knight swinging halberd, he turned around, flowing around a third opponent that was attempting to blindside Koneko as she simultaneously plummet a pair of knights despite the obvious effort her actions were taking on her.

Flashing his swords in a chain of hits he prepared to take them down, attempting to open enough room for them to maneuver and join the others in the fierce battle that was now dominating the center of the warehouse, explosions resounding as Xenovia's Excalibur Destruction blasted anything that dared come close, while Kiba and Irina clashed against the blurry figured that was Freed's manic form.

"We are the servants of his will."

"We are the guardians of his work."

"We are the bearers of his light."

Nearly dropping to his knees for a moment, he fought through the pain while ignoring his body's protests as he charged forward, blades infused with power he collided against the armored wall that was waiting for him, halberds raised and ready to strike him down, striking them down with the force of a raging typhoon.

Linking sword skill after sword skill he cut a way through his opponents even as he accumulated wounds from their retaliatory strikes, trusting Koneko to protect his back as he pressed onwards.

Dodging an opponent that had been sent flying by one of Issei's punches and sidestepping a knight that was struggling against what appeared to be an energy line that was wrapped around his neck, Kirito took in the situation.

He hated to admit it but they were being hard pressed by the Templars. Technically they weren't that strong, their blows were precise, but nothing out of ordinary, their actions well trained and ordained, but also stiff and unyielding. All in all they should be easily overpowering them.

And yet their faith turned what should be an all but assured victory in normal circumstances', into a deadlock where both forces were slowly grinding themselves out into a war of attrition.

Despite everything he couldn't help but admire their zeal. Turning their faith into a weapon in order to strike their enemies, a devotion so strong and unyielding, that its mere presence acted as a hammer against those who opposed them.

Belief was their sword, faith was their shield, and armed with those weapons they crashed against those who opposed them with unthinking, unwavering determination, ignoring all wounds and weathering blows that would fell lesser men, slowly but surely grinding against all opposition until nothing but dust remained.

"We are the fire upon which sin is purged."

"We are the blade upon which the wicked are judged."

"We are the end upon which enlightenment is reached."

Gritting his teeth he ignored the pain, blades dancing before him in answer to the scream of his instincts, intercepting the heavy bolts that were being fired by the knights positioned in the second catwalk.

Before he could come up with a way to neutralize them a crimson beam shot forward with a roaring sound, taking out the threat and carving a large hole straight trough the warehouse back wall.

A small smile forming on his lips despite everything he was about to congratulate the perverted [Pawn] for his actions, when a single sound revealed to him that things were about to get even more complicated.

**[Reset.]**

Eyes wide he watched as Issei hastily backpedaled away from the front lines, the action of firing the shot alongside the heavy fighting that he had been doing forcing his Sacred Gear to reset itself. Leaving him vulnerable.

Narrowing his eyes Kirito dashed towards the [Pawn], intending to put himself between him and the encircling knights.

Blocking a descending strike with his left blade while retaliating with his right, he centered himself regarding the new objective.

'_Time to see if all those body guarding quests were worth something.' _A small part of him couldn't help but think as he started guarding Issei as the [Pawn] recharged his [Boosted Gear].

* * *

Dodging underneath two halberds that were singing trough the air, Koneko darted forward, her small body all but hugging the ground and turning her into an even more difficult target to hit.

Face an impassive mask despite the throbbing pain that was coursing through her body, despite the feeling brought forward by the knights reverberating words, she struck her opponents, white energy gathered upon her fists, bolstering both her speed and strength far beyond what she could normally produced with her Piece strength alone.

Koneko rarely showed her emotions, having long ago learned that doing so was all but inviting trouble. Even thought she knew that things were different now, that they had been different for quite some time ever since Rias Gremory had taken her in, but despite everything that had changed that was a habit that still persisted to this day.

She remembered how back then her emotions were preyed upon, how they had been used to dig beneath her defenses, to hurt her more deeply than ever before, or since. She still remembered _Her_ betrayal.

Laying down another opponent, a large basketball dent clear upon his plate mail, her shining eyes remained the only way to see the fierce determination and the snarling anger that was shimmering inside, deep beneath the featureless mask she usually showed the world.

Throwing herself against a new opponent, a palm strike hitting the flat of his large blade and diverting his swiping halberd away, she gathered her power in order to make her displeasure known.

No one struck down those who were dear to her, no one harmed her friends, no one attacked her Peerage. No one harmed her family.

Using the techniques she had learned and practiced alongside Asuna and Kirito she kept pressing forward, her fists nothing but a blur as her body kept moving at the daunting speeds she had come to hone for the simple fact of keeping up against those precious few to whom she sometimes lowered her mask.

These knights wanted to harm her friends and family, and the mere thought of it was nearly enough to overcome her impressive control and bring forth a roar of rage from her throat.

Dodging another strike she noticed with a hint of annoyance one of the knights she had struck down regaining his feet, unminding to the deep indentation on the chest of his armor or the crimson blood that was slowly seeping out from the joints between the plate mail.

It was an annoying aspect that seemed to repeat itself over and over again inside the warehouse, knights would fall to their attacks, only to ignore their wounds, no matter how dire they were, and rejoin the fight, taking three, sometimes even four attacks before finally laying down for good, forcing them to keep attacking without pause all the while enduring the continuous pressure of their opponents' strikes and the holy energies that now saturate the area.

Dismissing the fact as irrelevant she keep pressing her attack, if hitting them over and over was what it took for them to finally stop, then so be it.

Their weapons and armor, their prayer and faith, even their impressive resistance and indomitable will, all of it was meaningless to her. They were a threat to those she held dear, and so, no matter what powers they possessed, she would strike them down for that temerity.

Rolling to the side as a halberd struck down with a resounding crack at where she had been standing but a moment earlier and jumping backwards to avoid the swinging blade of a second knight she quickly took in her surroundings.

Kirito was busy defending Issei as he recharged his Sacred Gear, his swords easily keeping a score of knights away; Saji was darting around, never standing still for more than a moment, a weird lizard like object on his right hand shooting forth a lasso of energy he kept using to trip and throw away his opponents; Kiba and Irina were in a fierce battle against Freed, the mad Exorcist nothing but a blur of motion thanks to his stolen blade, while simultaneously fending off the knights that kept trying to strike them down from the sidelines; and Xenovia was wrecking a path of pure destruction as she tried to reached the archbishop that was calmly watching the fight from above, yet for each knight she took down another one would block her path.

Dodging to the side she struck one of the containers that littered the area with all her strength, sending the heavy metal box flying towards her enemies, forcing them to back away and giving her some breathing room to think about what to do.

But her thoughts were cut short upon hearing a pained grunt coming from her left side, the small sound immediately capturing her attention despite the cacophony of noises that reverberated all around the warehouse.

Head snapping to the source of the sound she felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her.

Standing amidst a score of downed opponents, holding down two knights away, both his swords locked against his opponents' halberds, Kirito was struggling to keep up the pressure, a large bolt radiating holy energy sticking from his left leg draining his strength as a third opponent raised his own weapon in order to strike him down.

By his side Issei was frantically trying to go to the [Rook's] aid, but was being blocked by two opponents of his own, a look of panic on his face.

Pure fury reverberating within her chest Koneko felt as if time was slowing to a crawl as she took in the scene, her teeth unconsciously baring themselves into a snarl as the expressionless mask she always wore shattered like glass.

Already crouching down, coiling down her muscles in order to launch herself forward with all her speed in order to intervene, a small part of her mind noticed that they were too far away for her to reach in time, or at least, too far away to reach in time as she was at the moment.

There was no thought, no conscious decision, no deliberate choice, only action. Someone dear to her was in jeopardy, someone she loved was in danger. Her family was being threatened, and she simply wouldn't allow it!

Demonic energy exploding from her small body like a raging maelstrom she launched herself forward, a large crater forming underneath her feet with each stride, her pointy canines bared in rage as she roared her defiance.

Appearing in a white blur between Kirito and the attacking knight, she brought her fist against the fool that dared threaten one of those dear to her. A resounding impact ringing through her ears as she struck him down with all her anger, her clawed fists easily rending trough the armor as she tossed him away.

Lightly landing on her feet despite the speed at which she had been traveling, she swiftly turned around, the small feline white tail hanging from her hips allowing her to keep her balance as she struck down one of the knights deadlocked against the black clad [Rook], allowing him to take down the last opponent by himself despite his surprised, wide eyed expression.

Her ears flickering at the sound of air rustling trough feathers alert her that more arrows had been shot, but even as she started to crouch in order to evade them Kirito was already moving, both his swords blurring in front of them and cutting down the projectiles before they could hit them.

Looking at the black clad [Rook], Koneko could see his bewilderment at her true appearance, but she could also see he had chosen to push it down and deal with it later, focusing on the ongoing battle.

For a moment she worried about her actions, about revealing her true appearance for the first time in years, about the possibility of being rejected, of being abandoned once again.

But that moment of doubt and fear was brushed aside as if nothing as Kirito simply nodded his head in thanks before inclining it slightly in a silent question to follow.

Acknowledging it she rushed behind her fellow [Rook], acting in tandem to take down the knights that stubbornly refused to stay down, her impassive mask once again firmly in place.

But if one were to look at her eyes, hope and happiness would be seen shining through.

* * *

Linking strike after strike in an impressive display of speed Kirito struck down against a particularly stubborn foe, even as his mind swirled with bemused confusion at what he had just seen.

Catching the petite [Rook] following close behind him from the corner of his eyes, her fluffy white ears twitching and turning in order to follow every small sound that happened, he had to fight down a smile at how cute she looked and focus at the situation at hand.

'_No wonder I thought her ALO appearance seemed natural.'_ Part of his mind unhelpfully provided as he ducked low in order to avoid a swinging halberd.

Unleashing a devastating combo, sixteen hits one closely followed by the other in a seemingly endless blur, he brought down the stubborn knight for good, while the same unhelpful part of his mind that seemed to refuse to drop the subject of Koneko spontaneously sprouting a pair of cat ears and tail idly wondered if he was becoming immune to shock.

After all he really should be reacting far more strongly at learning that the Caith Sith were real, shouldn't he?

'_Then again, after everything that has happened so far I guess my definition of normal is seriously skewed.'_ He thought in bemusement, finally allowing an amused smile to appear on his face.

Taking in his surroundings he decided that while far from ideal, things were still under control. Kiba and Irina were still locked in a dead match with Freed, and while sporting a myriad of small wounds and a bleeding cut on Kiba's left leg, the large gash on the mad Exorcist's chest showed they were slowly winning the war of attrition; Xenovia seemed fine if a bit short of breath despite the large amounts of dust and grime littering her body, a large clearing full of craters around her as she took in her surroundings with steely eyes; Issei had retreated back to Saji, both [Pawns]sporting a myriad of small wounds but nothing truly threatening as they stood back to back while waiting for Issei's [Boosted Gear] to recharge.

He himself only had one serious injury, the arrow wound on his leg, the after effects of the holy energy still cursing trough his body making him have to fight waves of weakness every few seconds, but it's effects seemed to be lessening with time.

At first glance the Knights Templar appeared to have fared far worse. Their armor battered and cracked, injuries littering their bodies, crimson blood flowing from the seams of their armor.

And yet they pushed forward, broken limbs stubbornly moving despite all odds, steel determination guiding their movements despite all injuries, their power unimpaired despite everything saying they should have long ago been spent, the only ones who had been truly brought out of the fight being those who had permanently fallen.

This was their strengths, their power. Supernatural endurance aligned with unbreakable faith, their unwavering resolve allowing them to slowly but surely wither away even the strongest of foes.

His inner musings were cut short as his instincts screamed in warning, moving ahead of Koneko he crossed his swords in a guard position just in time to block an incoming ray of light.

"A Nekoshou… How splendid." Galillei's arrogant voice resounded, an eerie light shining on his eyes, his outstretched hand pointing towards them and shining with holy energy. "This has gone on long enough, deal with them."

Looking at the Templar's once again taking formation all around them, Kirito prepared to once more throw himself against their apparently never ending endurance, eyes tracking the crossbow wielding knights that had taken position atop the containers around the warehouse.

But before either side could make a move a rain of silver arrows rained down from the hole in the wall, bombarding the Templars' long range attackers while a white blur entered the field, her speed making it look like a shooting star had appeared.

Colliding against the back of the knight that was closer to Kirito's form, her rapier piercing the weak area between the pieces of the plate mail, Asuna made herself known, Suguha, Silica and Lizbeth following close behind her.

"Kirito, Switch!" She shouted, indicating to Kirito the now angered archbishop with a tilt of her head.

A predatory smile slowly appearing on his face he surged forward, eyes locked upon the enemy leader, it was time to end this battle.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I first saw the idea of the Knights Templar's using Holy Hymns as a battle weapon in the story **'****A Demon Among Devils****'**, written by **The Crimson Lord,** a very good High school DxD X Persona Series crossover which I highly recommend, and found it to be an absolutely amazing idea.

It's recurrently reiterated in Canon how prayers or even saying the name of God can hurt Devils, which alongside ancient Christian traditions of singing prayers or even chanting Holy Hymns before battle makes for an incredible tool to be used on the DxD universe.

I simply loved the idea, while at the same time wondering why hadn't I seen it in any other story so far, after all its an effective tool while at the same time conforming perfectly with both Canon and even Christian history itself, so I asked permission to use it in my story.

So once more, my most sincere thanks to: **The Crimson Lord**.

In a separate note, I wonder how many of you predicted Koneko would eventually reveal herself in order to aid her new 'surrogate family', or that something similar would happen sooner or later in this story?

My reasoning for her showing her true form rises from the fact that in my story she is slowly but surely rekindling her emotions and forming a familial bond with Kirito, Asuna and Yui, which pushed her to protect Kirito even if it meant revealing her true nature, unlike in Canon where she only did so when confronted with her past.

While having only minor effects right now this development will cause some very interesting ripple effects latter on, especially when a certain 'Black Cat' finally appears on the story.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	23. Chapter 23 - Encroaching Dusk

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, I would like to give a very special thanks to all my readers. This story now has over fifteen hundred followers! When I first started writing this I never expected this kind of following and so when I saw that number it put one heck of a smile on my face, so thanks for the support.

Thirdly, sorry for the wait but this chapter proved trickier to write than I initially expected. After finishing it I ended up re-writing it twice because the end result wasn't what I had envisioned, until I finally managed to get what I wanted. But I'm quite happy with the final version; hopefully you all will approve it too.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Encroaching Dusk**

Sitting inside the Occult club room Rias couldn't help but let out a sigh as she put down her tea cup on the table. Despite the gorgeous weather outside as the day slowly fell to dusk, she couldn't help but notice the foreboding feeling that had been mounting in the pit of her stomach as the day progressed, a feeling that hadn't been improved by the report that Akeno had just delivered.

"When this is over and everything calms down I'll have a serious conversation with my brother." She said in a stern tone of voice. "The fact that we received his warning regarding the current situation only now indicates that either he is withholding information from me or, the far more likely scenario, his informants only acquired this information now, and considering the fact that Argo learned about this two days ago that is a truly troubling time lapse regarding our informants' skills."

"Well, there is a reason why the Dantalion's information gathering skills are valued and feared throughout the Underworld Rias-buchou." Akeno calmly replied from her spot standing next to Rias as she folded the letter she had just read. "And speaking about them, my familiars have occasionally spotted Argo-sama and her [Queen] moving from one point of the city to the other almost constantly these last few days, I believe she may be planning something."

Rias couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing her [Queen's] words, a small smile appearing on her face as she took a sip of tea, enjoying the calming flavor.

"Of course she is planning something Akeno, she is a Dantalion after all. Planning and scheming are their most lauded skills; it wouldn't surprise me in the least if that isn't she creating a contingence or three just in case the situation turns to open conflict."

Seeing her [Queen] nod her understanding Rias decided to ask something that had been bothering her some time now. "Akeno, have you seen the rest of the Peerage today? With the exception of Asia who I've seen hanging out with her friend earlier I haven't seen any of the others."

"Now that you mention it, I also haven't seen them since early morning Rias-buchou. Perhaps…"

But before Akeno could expand upon her answer she was cut short as Rias cell phone alerted the receiving of a text message. Opening her phone Rias calmly started to read the message, Akeno reading it alongside her from over her shoulder, her calm demeanor being eroded little by little the more she read while at the same time Akeno's amused smile grew proportionally.

"Ara, ara, our Peerage members are certainly energetic aren't they?" Akeno cheerfully said, daintily raising a hand to cover her smile after finishing reading the message Asuna had sent.

A message detailing how about the majority of their Peerage alongside nearly the entirety of Argo's Peerage and one of Sona's [Pawns] were 'helping' Kiba deal with his past problems, if by 'helping' they meant raiding the hiding spot of the group that had stolen the Excalibur Fragments from the Church of all things.

"Akeno, please inform Sona of the current situation, then find Asia and return here, I've a feeling we will need her skills before long." Rias said in a calm tone of voice that was betrayed by the faint irritated twitch growing on her left eyebrow. "Meanwhile I'll be contacting Argo, since I suspect she knows more about this. Then we can go after them."

"Right away Buchou." Akeno cheerfully replied before exiting the room and leaving her exasperated [King] alone for a moment.

"At least this time they informed me about the situation..." Rias tiredly mumbled to herself, wondering exactly how bad this mess would be while slowly massaging the bridge of her nose to stave off the headache she felt was slowly coming.

* * *

Weaving between the swinging halberds of two opponents Asuna's eyes quickly scanned her enemies' armored forms, searching for the weak spots where the pieces of the armor connected in order to strike.

Dodging a third blow with contemptuous easy she darted forward, far faster than any of her opponents could react, her rapier encased in a blue aura of her demonic energy leaving nothing but a blurry afterimage as it thrust onwards piercing her opponent's armor.

Not missing a single heartbeat she move backwards with enough speed to leave an after image of herself behind, her trusty weapon blurring as it strike another knight five times in quick succession, once for each limb stunning him and a final time to the chest in order to take him down.

Jumping backwards in order to avoid an stray arrow fired by one of the few opponent's long range attackers who had managed to disengage from Sinon's assault she took in the situation within the warehouse.

Lizbeth had moved towards Saji and Issei helping the two [Pawns] against the encircling knights, battering away any enemy that dared to approach, golden runes covering every inch of her armor as she tanked every attack thrown against her with apparent impunity; Suguha had darted to the middle of the warehouse Silica close on her heels, unleashing both sword strikes and wind blasts against any opponent that appeared in her line of sight unbalancing them and allowing the nimble [Pawn] to harass them further, both never stopping moving for more than an instant and upping the pressure against the Templars; and Sinon was bombarding them with pint point strikes, the sniper normally used to taking shots against opponents miles away using the closeness between her perch at the large hole in the wall and her opponents to hit them with ease.

All in all her and the other girls appearance seemed to have completely tipped the scales of battle on their side favor, allowing the others some breathing room and permitting them to focus more clearly.

Easily dodging another strike and retaliating before her opponent could even attempt to counter her, Asuna couldn't help but feel that this was a perfect match up for her, after all, one simply does not bet against a precision oriented speed fighter against a power and endurance oriented type when the first has enough skill, strength and speed to pierce the latter's defense.

That match up advantage allowed her enough breathing room to constantly take in the battlefield and see if anyone needed immediate help, check out her husband charge against the opponents' leader and see if any new threats would present themselves.

But at the same time it also allowed more than enough time for idle thoughts and musings to enter her mind, idle thoughts and musings that were doing their very best in trying to distract her in the middle of the fight.

Chiefly amidst them being: Why was Koneko sporting a pair of white cat ears and a tail?

* * *

Dodging another light beam being fired the by the enraged archbishop Kirito kept moving forward towards the enemy commander, taking down any templar that tried to block his path.

Unleashing a vertical square combo against another enemy he prepared to jump atop the catwalk Galilei was resting upon, only to have to abort his attempt, crossing his swords in front of him to weather a new blast of light.

'_This is getting annoying.'_ He simply thought as the beam diminished only for another two templars to block his path.

The battle was theirs, of that he had no doubt. With Asuna and the others reinforcing the attack the Templar Knights were slowly but surely being overwhelmed, something that Galilei seemed acutely aware of as he tried to escape the warehouse, a rictus of rage on his face as he fired beam after beam of light against the pursuing [Rook].

A loud blast from his side followed by a rush of debris indicated that Xenovia had realized the rogue archbishop intention as well and was trying to reach him before he could escape.

Looking at the distance separating him from Galilei, Kirito suddenly realized what he had to do, a small smirk appearing on his features even as he ducked under his opponents swinging halberds.

Trusting his instincts to keep him safe he hardened his resolve and focused his will, shaping his intentions into a mold and filling it with his demonic power even as his body kept fighting.

Ever since the Death Gun incident and the subsequent spar with Asuna he had delved into this new possibility of their power his wife had discovered with the vigor and intensity of a veteran gamer, practicing it relentlessly until it laid within his grasp, but mastering a skill in a training field and using it in battle were completely distinct things.

But even so, the cornerstone of demonic powers were imagination, will and resolve, and he had all three of them in spades.

Absentmindedly ducking to avoid a stray shot coming from behind he felt as his power took the pattern he desired, bypassing his opponents he gestured with his swords towards the fleeing archbishop, letting loose his power and imposing his will into reality.

His small smirk blossoming into a full grown grin Kirito watched Galilei curse and sputter as he fought the thin black tendrils that had enveloped his lower body, entrapping him into place.

He knew that the spell Shadow Bind was a relatively weak binding spell, point in fact it was one of the first spells a Springgan could learn, but even if it was but a cantrip, it should buy him the time needed for him to reach his fleeing opponent.

Focusing into the two templars who were still attacking him he delivered a crushing series of strikes in quick succession, taking them out before jumping into the catwalk and dashing towards his struggling opponent who was freeing from the shadow tendrils himself with a blast of light.

Ducking close to the floor of the catwalk he kept moving forward while evading the blast that was sailing inches above, each instant bringing him closer towards the furious looking archbishop.

But just as he was about to finally reach his opponent a warning cry from his instincts forced him to stop his charge, spun around, and cross his blades in order to block the holy sword that had seemingly appeared from nothing behind him, trying to skewer his body.

"Hahaha! You blocked my strike again! Do you have eyes in the back of your head or something?! Is this some kind of rare breed of Devil?! I'm going to enjoy killing you if that's the case!" Freed manically declared as he pushed his Excalibur Fragment against Kirito's crossed blades.

Even as he infused his blades with his own demonic energy to fight back the holy weapon being brought against him Kirito could practically feel his blades straining to withstand the power of the legendary fragment.

He watched as Irina jumped towards the far end of the catwalk, the trail of blood marring her side indicating how Freed had managed to disengage in order to attack him.

But while watching the Exorcist starting to dart towards them he felt a familiar warning cry reverberating through his mind, a quick glance behind made him blanch upon seeing Galilei's right light encased hand raised and pointed towards him, a smirk of triumph on his face.

A smirk that was immediately turned into a snarl of rage and pain as a silver arrow pierced his outstretched arm, throwing away his aim and forcing the ray of light to miss its target. A snarl that was only compounded as a familiar voice cried out from the other end of the catwalk.

"Balba!" Kiba screamed in rage, crashing against the rogue archbishop's hastily erected barrier, a sword that seemed to erase all light slowly but surely pressing trough the obstacle towards Galilei.

Pushing Freed back, Kirito wasted a moment deciding whether to double team the mad exorcist with Irina or help Kiba against the rogue archbishop. But the point was rendered moth as his instincts practically howled at him to move, warning him in no uncertain terms that he had to leave the area immediately.

"Kiba, Irina! Get away from here!" He shouted, disengaging and jumping from the catwalk, followed a moment latter by a clearly reluctant Kiba, his face showing the raging storm happening between his desire for vengeance and the clear warning present in the Kirito's voice.

Irina wasted a moment longer before acting, her unfamiliarity with the black clad [Rook] leading her to question the warning before acting, and in that moment of indecision her chance to evade was lost.

"Enough." A deep voice simply stated, the hate and contempt present into it at a stark contrast to the calm even tone upon which it had been spoken.

The very next moment light exploded from near the archbishop's form, the force of the blast harshly throwing Irina against the warehouse wall and knocking her unconscious, while buffeting Kirito and Kiba's jumping forms, accelerating their fall towards the ground.

Rolling away his momentum upon reaching the ground Kirito immediately spun around, swords at the ready, as he took in this new threat.

Floating above Galilei his ten black wings fully extended, intricately embroiled black robes flowing around his lithe form, long dark hair falling past his pointy elfish ears and a sneer of contempt clear on his youthful face, the being looked down upon them.

Tightening the grip on his weapons Kirito slowly took a defensive stance, realizing who exactly the Fallen was and what that meant to the ongoing battle. Kokabiel 'The Angel of the Stars' had joined the field.

* * *

Looking at the floating Fallen high above them Issei couldn't help but feel a shiver coursing down his spine, the black feathers littering his wings reminding him of the fateful night of his first date.

Punching away one particularly stubborn templar he kept his eyes locked upon the Fallen's hands, there was simply no way he was getting impaled by a light spear, again.

**[So Kokabiel takes to the field… interesting.]** Ddraig deep reverberating voice resounded on his mind, breaking away his idle reverie about why Fallen Angels were always trying to impale him. **[A worthy opponent indeed, you have my approval in your choice of enemies partner, this should be quite the match.]**

'_What…?'_ Issei thought in confusion for a moment before focusing into a specific part of Ddraig's statement. _'Wait, so, is this guy supper strong or something?'_

**[He is Kokabiel 'The Angel of the Stars' one of the few high ranked angels to survive the Great War, his martial prowess and power over light were quite famous back in the day.]** The Crimson Emperor calmly replied, his voice containing a deep sense of satisfaction and anticipation, as if a boxing fan about to watch live the final to the heavyweight world championship. **[This will be by far the strongest foe you have encountered to date, so prepare yourself partner; this will be a match to remember.]**

'_Can we beat him?'_ Issei nervously asked, the dragon's apparent excitement at the prospect of facing a powerful enemy slightly unnerving him.

**[Don't be ridiculous! We are The Crimson Emperor, one of the two Heavenly Dragons! Holder of a power so great all Three Factions trembled and cowered before our might! This measly ten winged Fallen is but a pebble destined to crumble in the face of our fury!] **He bellowed in defiance, the strength and certainty in his words slowly filling the young [Pawn] with confidence.

**[In a complete separate note, how terribly would you mind if your other arm was turned into a Dragon's limb in order for us to fight him? Hypothetically speaking of course.]** Ddraig asked in a far more normal tone of voice, his words trying and failing at sounding innocent.

Looking at the contempt clearly visible on Kokabiel's face Issei decided that Ddraig's words weren't exactly comforting, especially his 'hypothetical' question that strongly hinted he would have to use his Balance Breaker in order to fight off the Fallen, but a quick look at his side showed that most of the templar knights were down while his friends were fine and ready to face the new threat.

Perhaps he wouldn't have to sacrifice his arm after all, which would be good, since while he loved the attention Buchou and Akeno gave him in order to keep his draconic arm under wraps, and doubling it would be indubitably nice, he didn't want the same fate to happen to his other arm.

He really didn't want to consider how he would take care of business while watching the videos he borrowed from Motohama if both his hands turned into claws after all.

**[… It's always interesting seeing how you place your priorities partner.]** Ddraig mumbled absentmindedly, his voice and odd mix of bemusement and exasperation.

"Galilei, are you truly so incompetent that this ragtag group of lesser Devils and Exorcists is enough to hold you?" Kokabiel calmly asked, his voice dripping with loathing. "To force me to deal with such rabble, be thankful that your continued existence is still useful to my plans."

Said rogue archbishop opened his mouth to reply, his posture deferential and contrite, only to be silence by a sharp gesture from one of the Fallen's hands.

While he was chastising his subordinate, Issei noticed the others were reading themselves, having overcome the shock of Kokabiel's sudden violent appearance.

"Kokabiel, in the name of the Holy Church and the Almighty cease your actions at once. Return the swords you have stolen and submit yourself to judgment" Xenovia defiantly said reading her Excalibur Fragment, at her side a tense looking Kirito taking on a defensive stance, eyes silently scanning their opponent's form.

"Hahahahaha! In the name of the almighty?" Kokabiel bellowed back in apparent mirth, a cruel smile entering his features. "Foolish blinded weakling, even if such words still had any meaning, you forget a very simple fact, you lack the power to enact such judgment."

Wide eyed Issei watched as Kokabiel's form seamed to blur just as he finished his statement, only to appear right next to a surprised looking Xenovia, a spear of light firmly held in one hand and already swinging down towards his target.

"Begone." He simply stated just before his weapon stroke down, and even while Xenovia tried to bring her own weapon to bear in order to defend herself Issei could see that the Exorcist would be too late.

A loud clang followed by the sound of groaning metal, of tempered steel cracking under extreme pressure, showed that the Fallen's attack had been diverted, as a black clad blur seamed to appear before the strike, his crossed blades loudly protesting as Kirito used all his [Rook] strength to keep the light spear at bay.

"Oh? Impressive reflexes, it's good to see this age can still produce something resembling a warrior." Kokabiel stated, his voice sounding more pleased than annoyed that his strike had been blocked. "But in the end, utterly futile."

A quick blur of movement and Kirito was sent flying away by the force of the blow the second spear that had appeared on Kokabiel's left hand had delivered, the ten winged Fallen expertly wielding both spears, easily transitioning between diverting Xenovia's retaliatory strike with one spear, disarming her with the other and throwing her away with a final strike.

"Collect the blades." The Fallen commanded, breaking away the trance like state everyone else had been under during the exchange of blows, the entire exchange having taken less than three seconds.

Moving towards the others who were slowly congregating in the middle of the warehouse, Issei barely paid attention to Freed's form as he collected both Excalibur Fragments that had fallen to the ground, his mind starting to seriously consider accepting Ddraig 'hypothetical' offer.

Kirito may be a damnable pretty boy, but he also knew that the [Rook] was very strong; taking the [Pawn] at least five [Boosts] to keep up with him, and Kokabiel had thrown him away with ease. Not to mention that Xenovia had also quickly fallen to the same fate despite her Holy Sword.

The fact that both the [Rook] and Exorcist were already back on their feet was reassuring, but at the same time he wondered if even they all together would be able to take Kokabiel down without Ddraig's help.

"You guys always find yourselves into the most interesting of situations don't you?" A cheerful voice asked from right behind him, startling him as he quickly turned around.

Nonchalantly standing amidst them all, no one having even felt their approach, Argo stood alongside her [Queen], her face sporting a Chesire-like grin that failed to reach her hard eyes as she ignored the shocked stares her presence was receiving, at her side Hikari's face was set into a serious mask while she carried an unconscious Irina on one of her shoulders.

"Greetings and salutations Kokabiel of the Grigori, may I enquire about your intentions in regards to your recent actions inside this city?" Argo calmly asked while slightly inclining her head into a short acknowledging bow, her actions more fitting to a casual meeting inside a high class party and completely at odds with the situation at hand.

"The Dantailion heiress. How splendid of you, to simplify my task by presenting yourself to me." Kokabiel answered, his smirk slowly growing into a grin that showed far too many teeth.

"The answer should be obvious Dantalion; I seek to end this pathetic stagnant state of affairs that all three factions seem content to keep up with, to end this decayed situation and revive the glory of the past that those blind fools allowed to be lost, to restore what should be the rightful order of this world!" He continued, a manic gleam entering his eyes as he continued his speech.

"I seek to restart the Great War of course." He gleefully stated showing his bared teeth in a manic smile as he summoned dozens of light spears floating around him, pointing straight towards them. "And your death alongside those of the Sitri and Gremory heiresses shall be the holy sacrifice that will spark ablaze this glorious future."

'_Yikes! This guy is crazier than that nut-job Exorcist bastard!' _Issei immediately decide, the looks everybody around him were giving the Fallen showing he wasn't alone in his thoughts, while Argo calmly nodded her head, as if Kokabiel's words merely confirmed something she already suspected.

"I see, well that sounds like a lot of work, so we will be off your hair, good luck with all that." Argo flippantly replied, a dangerous glint shimmering in her eyes as a massive magic circle suddenly appeared below them, a blinding light shinning for a moment before their surroundings turned into the familiar landscape of Kuoh academy.

"Well that happened. Let's go meet Rias and Sona before they decided to rip off Klein's head for being my messenger." She cheerfully declared with a clap of hands, leading their flabbergasted group towards the old school building.

'_What just happened?'_ Issei couldn't help but think while following after the others, all the while Ddraig grumbled about missed opportunities and abandoning a good fight.

* * *

Treating their wounds, not all of them coming from the battle against Kokabiel's forces as Klein could easily attest, and those sported by the two Exorcists, members of all three Peerages that attended Kuoh academy watched as an incensed Rias and unamused Sona confronted a still smiling Argo.

"You knew this wasn't a simple case of theft of an important artifact! You knew Kokabiel was merely using it as a smokescreen while he was planning to restart the Great War didn't you?!" Rias all but screamed, arms crossed and an unimpressed glower on her features. "Of course what else could I expect of a Dantalion, this is probably part of some sort of convoluted scheme or something!"

"Rias how could you say such a thing! I'm completely shocked and appalled at your completely accurate and factual statement!" Argo replied clutching her hands against her heart as if in pain, a massive grin still present in her face.

The non sequitur of the answer and the way it was delivered was enough to stop Rias anger short for a moment out of sheer confusion, a moment Argo immediately took hold of to explain her actions.

"Regarding your accusation of 'knowing' Kokabiel's intentions beforehand, it would be far more accurate to say me and my family strongly suspected them but had no actual proof, it's one thing to know someone is a warmonger and quite another to be able to affirm they intent to restart the darkest days of our history." She calmly said, her smile disappearing from her face as she spoke.

"Even so, why didn't you inform us earlier? I could have requested my brother to send some of his Pieces to aid in the defense of the town!" Rias said in a matter of fact tone, her voice still holding traces of hostility.

"Because that could cause serious political problems between the three factions and make us miss a window of opportunity." Sona replied in realization, fixing Argo with an appraising look.

"Precisely. Kokabiel may be an mad warmonger, but that doesn't change the fact he is a high ranking member of the Grigori, and while it's safe to say his actions are against Azazel's wishes, there is no telling if he had the support of other high ranked Fallen." Argo explained, giving Sona a nod of acknowledgment. "If we struck first, and we all know that if your elder siblings knew of the possibility of danger to you two they were going to strike first, then the situation could easily be spun to place the blame on us Devils, perhaps even starting the war Kokabiel desires."

"But now that he is out in the open proclaiming his intentions, alongside Stray Exorcists and fanatics and in clear possession of the stolen blades, with all that being seen by representatives of the Church no less, we can act without fear of repercussions. "

"Kokabiel may be extremely powerful but by himself his fate is all but sealed, so all we have to do is stall long enough and his defeat is assured." Argo finished, her grin once again firmly into place as she watched the miffed expression on Rias face, an expression that said she understood the reasoning used but was not happy with it.

"Even so it was a dangerous gamble Argo, things could have easily gotten out of hand, and even now my brother will take at least half an hour to reach the human world." Rias said with a tired sigh, her eyes taking over all the faces that were watching the exchange between the three [Kings].

"Why do you think me and Hikari spend the last few days setting up a universal teleportation matrix around the entire city?" Argo asked, already moving towards the door. "And half an hour? That's kind of impressive actually; guess the rumors of Lucifer-sama's sister complex are true after all."

"Well then, now that all that has been dealt with, I strongly suggest we prepare ourselves for a siege." Argo cheerfully interjected, her words completely at odds with the subject at hand. "I doubt Kokabiel is happy with our dear little act of disappearing from under his nose, so his next move will undoubtedly be a strike against Kuoh academy."

"Can't we just keep teleporting away until the cavalry arrives?" Klein asked, pointing out the sensible course of action to the situation at hand.

"We could, but then he would probably start to bombard the city indiscriminately in order to flush us out." Argo deadpanned, causing many of them to flinch at the image her words invoked.

"It's far better to meet him under our terms, and besides, we don't have to win, merely stall for time until victory is assured." She finished, her grin once more growing to proportions that would make the Chesire cat proud. "Don't worry, as they all say, it's all part of the plan."

"They?" Kirito couldn't help but curiously ask while following Rias and the others as they left the room.

"Yes, they." Argo nodded in faux seriousness waving one hand vaguely in the air as she exited the room. "You know. The nebulous them, that always confirm all my arguments."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Originally I had planned to include the battle against Kokabiel in this chapter as well, but then I realized that due to the size the battle will indubitably end up being that doing so would either require me to cut the battle short, something that I simply refused to do since it will be the climax of the arc, or separate it into two distinct chapters.

In the end I decided to use this chapter to wrap the warehouse battle, introduce Kokabiel and rejoin all three Peerages, leaving the big Boss battle for the next chapter.

You all will probably be happy to know that I'm already writing it, so in all likelihood the next update will arrive before long, look forward to it!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	24. Chapter 24 - Battle Start

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, I'm extremely sorry for the delayed update, I know it isn't really an excuse, but saying that I've been busy recently would be a massive understatement.

Suffice to say that for the last few months, between my university studies and work at my internship, I've literally only had the weekends as free time, and those had to be mostly used to deal with all the coursework that comes with the last year of college.

So I would like to thank all my readers for their understanding regarding the delayed update.

Thirdly, allow me to put to rest the fears some reviewers have expressed, I've absolutely no intention of letting this story simply die out, especially considering I already have ideas for the next few arcs.

So while updates may get erratic sometimes due to IRL problems, rest assure that this story is still alive and well and will stay that way for the foreseeable future.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Battle Start**

The sun had just set beyond the horizon, but even as darkness slowly covered its grounds Kuoh academy was still a hive of activity, as those who were still there despite the late hour prepared themselves for the inevitable clash that was fast approaching.

As their Peerages members busied themselves with checking the grounds and preparing whatever piece of equipment they favored their [Kings] were hastily hammering out the bare bones of their plan.

"Are you sure you won't need the support of some of my members?" Sona asked while pushing back her glasses up her nose, her tone serious. "While I understand that keeping up the barrier is essential in order to prevent both collateral damage from happening and to keep things quiet regarding the populace, you two will need the numbers if we are to hold back Kokabiel long enough."

"While that is true, the fact is that you will need them all in order to keep a barrier of this size and power stable during the battle." Argo stated with a small mischievous smile on her face. "And no offense, but none of your members really have the raw power needed to really make a difference to the plan. But they do have the experience to help with the barrier."

"What about the Exorcists? Has Irina recovered consciousness yet?" Sona calmly asked Rias, changing the subject and completely ignoring Argo's mild teasing.

"Regrettably no, while Asia has healed all her injuries she is still unconscious." She readily replied, a small smile appearing on her face upon noticing Argo's pout upon failing to get a reaction out of Sona. "Thought truth be told, even if she was awake I don't see how they could be of much help now that their blades have been stolen. I'll have to see if I can convince Kiba to make a sword for Xenovia before the battle."

"No need." Argo interjected, grin firmly back into place. "Our dear little Exorcist still has a hidden ace or two holed up in reserve, she will be just fine."

Giving the Dantalion heiress a long look Rias debated upon the merits and problems of inquiring further about what she had just hinted about, before deciding to let it go and focus in the more immediate threat.

"Perhaps we should try and reinforce the defensive spells around the school grounds? I doubt they would be able to hold Kokabiel back for long, but they could still buy us some time."

"Absolutely not." Argo firmly replied, her grin gone and a serious look on her face. "Kokabiel could easily level the entire academy if he truly wished to, one of our best advantages is the fact he won't see us as a threat and probably will drag the fight for his own amusement, but if we annoy him by trying to block him off completely he may well just blast us all away and be done with it. The reward doesn't compensate the risk."

"While I agreed that we must capitalize upon his ego in order to stall long enough for reinforcements to arrive I can't help but feel this plan to be far too risky." Sona said seriously. "Even if Maou-sama makes haste it will still take over twenty minutes before he arrives, that is a long time to hold Kokabiel at bay."

Rias could only nod in agreement at Sona's assessment of the situation. But even as she contemplate the daunting task they were about to tackle, she couldn't help but feel that it almost seemed as if Argo wanted Kokabiel to storm the academy, a feeling that was only intensified by the Dantalion heiress answer.

"Indeed, but while it's true we would undoubtedly lose if we fought him fairly, there is no reason for undue worry." Argo happily chirped, a large predatory smile appearing on her face. "After all, we Dantalion's aren't exactly known for fighting fair."

* * *

Standing alongside Kirito, Asuna and the rest of their Peerage, Koneko couldn't help but worry about her recent actions, a maelstrom of conflicted emotions raging within her even as she maintained the emotionless mask she usually wore.

For the first time in years she had assumed her true form, for the first time in years she had grasped at and used the power of her heritage, a power she had previously done her very best to pretend to not even exist.

Nekoshou's were commonly feared and persecuted in the Underworld, their natural grasp of Senjutsu and high proficiency at Youjutsu made them powerful beings, while at the same time their extremely small numbers prevented them from taking unified action as most other Yokai clans did for protection.

That alongside _Her_ actions had ended up with a past she would rather forget, leading her into hiding her heritage, less she be once more persecuted and rejected.

And yet here she stood, her ears and tail clearly apparent, displayed for all to see, the feeling of the wind upon her ears a nearly foreign feeling after maintaining them hidden for so long.

And it all was the result of her own actions, taken in order to protect one of the precious few that had managed to worm past her barriers and find a place in her heart. And the more she thought about the situation that had led to this, the more sure she became of one simple fact.

She did not regret her actions.

Her fear of rejection was still there as strong as ever, even thought for the moment no one had shown a negative reaction to her form she still feared that it could still come latter after the battle was over. That those she loved would once again leave her.

But despite that she did not regret saving one of those dear to her heart.

If the choice was between doing nothing and staying safe, but losing them for sure, or risking their rejection and protect them and maybe being accepted, them she knew what she would chose. She would always choose to protect that which mattered to her, that which was dear to her heart, with all of her strength.

Giving a small nod of acknowledgment to Asuna's encouraging smile, Kirito's solemn nod and Yui's cheerful expression, Koneko dearly hoped that her choice had been the right one.

And as her eyes moved towards the form of Argo's approaching [Queen], more specifically to the pair of fox ears she was proudly displaying atop her head and the two slowly swaying fox tails appearing from beneath her kimono, she wondered if perhaps it was now the time to once more acknowledge that which she had once forsaken.

* * *

"You know, I can't help but think about how unusual this situation is." Klein nonchalantly said while checking his armor one last time.

"What do you mean?" Kirito asked, eyes taking in the entirety of the two Peerages that were reading themselves for Kokabiel's strike. Sona's Peerage having already moved towards the center of the academy and raising a shield spell not unlike the one used during the Rating Game in order to prevent the fallout of the coming battle from reaching the city.

"Well normally you would expect the raid party to go to the Boss room in order to fight it, not for the Boss to come out to the city and strike the raid party's headquarters; it's downright unnatural it is." He flippantly replied a silly grin on his face.

Kirito couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle at Klein's answer, the scattering of laughter all around him showing he wasn't the only one amused by the [Pawn's] antics.

Even while outwardly shaking his head in exasperation he was grateful for Klein's attempt of breaking the tension that had been mounting all around them.

He still remembered far too clearly the strength Kokabiel had demonstrated in the swing he had blocked, the speed at which the Fallen had moved, the contemptible ease with which he had thrown him away.

Tightening the grip on his blades he watched as Rias and Argo joined them, eyes hard and ready for what he knew would be far from a normal battle. Klein's comparison of the Fallen Angel to a Floor Boss was far from inaccurate, both being creatures that far surpassed their own individual strength and could end them with a single strike if they were not careful.

And as Rias warned them of the wards around the academy grounds being breached he silently vowed he would do his utmost for this raid to end without any fatalities coming from his side.

No matter what.

Taking a deep breath he centered himself and started to analyze the group that had just appeared from within the tree line, a small smirk appearing on his face despite everything else upon noticing that there were only a few dozens of Templars alongside Kokabiel and the two Stray Exorcists, instead of the seemingly endless horde they had faced earlier.

But even as he silently acknowledged the strain they had put on their numbers and how that meant that at least they now didn't need to worry so much about the numerical disadvantage, his senses immediately focused upon a new threat.

Walking right next to Balba, a manic grin on his face and all but bouncing into place due to his eagerness, Freed was carrying a blade that put the power even Xenovia's Excalibur Destruction had radiated to shame.

"They fused the blades?" He heard Xenovia mutter in surprise at his side, the simple statement somehow sowing a seed of excitement on his chest.

It was a large broadsword, its golden hilt the only decoration on its entire length, and even without the nearly absurd levels of holy power he could feel coming from the blade he could tell that that was a sword meant for the battlefield and nothing else.

'_Now that is a sword worthy of the name Excalibur.'_ An unhelpful part of his mind couldn't help but comment, the aura of the blade drawing him despite its holy nature.

Shaking his head to free it from such stray thoughts he focused on their opponents, an action that was helped by the three massive dog like creatures that had just appeared.

About seven feet tall, heavily muscled and sporting large claws and dark grey fur the three dogs growled towards them, but their most distinctive feature was the same one that allowed him to immediately identify what they were, for each dog sported not one, but three distinct heads.

"Cerberus." He heard Rias mutter in annoyance. "Three Cerberus… as if things aren't complicated enough already. Beware their poisonous breath."

"Argo, deal with the Templars and the two Stray-exorcists, Kiba and Kirito will help you and your Peerage, we will deal with this new annoyance. Akeno get ready." Rias commanded, steel in her voice.

"Very well, we will take them out, Kiba, you and Kirito deal with the freak with the super powered weapon while the rest of us deal with the armored idiots, Hikari you and Sinon provide cover to whomever needs it most, and can I assume you would like to assist in this endeavor Xenovia-san?" Argo asked with a teasing smile, a smile that grew even larger at the hard stare she received as an answer from the Exorcist.

But before any more could be said a massive explosion resounded throughout the area, cutting them short as they took in the deep trench originating from where Freed's blade was idly touching the ground going all the way up to the academy's outer wall.

"Can we go ahead and kill those shitty Devils already?" Freed asked with manic glee all but bouncing in place with excitement. "I really want to test my new Excalibur-chan you know?! How can I know if it really works without killing something with it?! That's a serious problem, you know?!"

"You blasphemous…" Xenovia started to reply before an eerie calm took over her features, determination shining in her eyes as she started to pray.

"Saint Peter. Saint Basil. Saint Denis. Holy Mother Mary. Please hear my plea."Xenovia chanted her words resounding with power as the space around her hands distorted. "In the names of the four saints whom reside within your steel, I ask for thy aid. Durandal!"

Reality seemed to shatter for a moment as she reached inside the distortion with her hands, grasping at something they could not see before pulling back a large blue bladed sword with a golden edge, its holy aura surpassing even that of all the five fused Excalibur fragments.

Kirito knew that sword, as any sword enthusiast would, a sword of legend, nearly as famous as Excalibur itself, Durandal.

Given to Saint Roland at Charlemagne, a sword he used to hold back an hundred-thousand-strong Muslim army long enough for Charlemagne's army to retreat into France, a sword said to be truly indestructible.

"Enough of this nonsense." Kokabiel deep voice calmly resounded as he took a seat upon a throne that had appeared beneath him, his face showing no emotion upon seeing the legendary holy blade. "Deal with this nuisance Balba but leave the sisters of the Great Satans alive, and do not fail me."

"Of course milord." Balba deferentially said, a sneer appearing on his face. "Kill them." He shouted, Freed immediately surging forward in a blur of speed cackling madly with the three monstrous dogs following right alongside him.

But even as he moved to intercept Kirito couldn't help but grin as Rias and Akeno made their move.

"Akeno, now!" Rias shouted, bringing her arms up before unleashing a torrent of her Power of Destruction against the largest of the incoming beasts, the resounding crack of a truly massive lightning bolt racing alongside the wave of oblivion and hitting the same Cerberus a fraction of a second earlier, it's electric current locking the beast in place with a howl of pain and anger before Rias attack made contact, silencing it.

Kokabiel and his minions may have made haste to attack them, but even then a good deal of time had passed, time that Issei had used extremely well by empowering both their Peerage's [King] and [Queen] with a fully charged transfer of twelve [Boosts] each.

Issei [Gift] ability was truly a dangerous asset, for while the transferred power didn't last long, in the right circumstances' it could make a truly overwhelming opening strike.

Trusting the others to do their part Kirito moved to flank the mad Exorcist that was already engaging Xenovia in battle, the intense shockwaves generated every time their swords meet showing him that a direct clash with the fused Excalibur really wouldn't be the best of ideas.

'_This is going to be interesting.'_ He acknowledged the stray thought before launching himself into the fray right after Kiba.

* * *

'_Wow! That's one big dog!' _Issei all but shouted in his mind while dodging a massive set of teeth before backhanding the offending head.

**[I've seen bigger.]** Ddraig nonchalantly replied, clearly unimpressed by their opponent. **[This slobbering beast is hardly worth of our power; you should let the others deal with them while we personally challenge the Fallen.]**

'_Didn't you say earlier that that crazy chicken was really powerful?!' _He asked with a tinge of hysteria while body checking the beast, making it flinch and opening it for a coordinated strike between Asuna and Koneko to two of its three heads.

'_You pretty much made it sound that I would have to use the Scale Mail to have a chance and even them it would pretty much be a death-match!' _He thought remembering Ddraig's reaction to first seeing the Fallen.

**[Indeed, and it would be most glorious!]** The Crimson Emperor eagerly replied, excitement clear on his tone.

Sweat dropping at his tenant words he wondered if sharing his soul with a battle crazed all-powerful dragon was really a good idea, until he remembered the last session he had with Rias and Akeno, and concluded that the perks certainly outmatched such minor problems.

**[You truly have an interesting mind, don't you partner?] **Ddraig thought with amusement. **[Regardless of your unique kind of prioritization, you may want to dodge.]**

Blinking at his tenant nonchalant words Issei snapped back to reality just in time to see a massive claw swiftly swinging towards his body, letting out a yelp of surprised he dropped to the ground, feeling the wind of its passing brushing his hair as he barely dodged the strike.

'_A little warning would have been nice!' _He indignantly thought, rolling away from the howling beast that was now attempting to dislodge Asuna from its back while the female [Knight] continuously hit it with a rain of blows.

**[I did warn you.] **Ddraig calmly replied in an uninterested manner. **[Now stop wasting time and take down this whelp so we can wrap this up, the [Boost] we granted your allies is probably over by now after all.]**

Fighting back the growing irritated twitch above his eyes Issei charged forward, delivering a crushing blow upon its central head that sent the Cerberus reeling back.

Ignoring Ddraig's faint hum of approval he pressed on, intending on taking out his opponent as fast as possible before his 'partner' decided to impart to him any more of his 'wisdom' regarding the situation at hand.

"Issei! We will hold it back, get ready and take it out!" Asuna commanded, her rapier moving with such speed that it seemed as if rays of light were falling upon the Cerberus three heads.

Watching Koneko staggering the giant dog with a bone crushing blow he readied himself, his demonic power gathering upon his Sacred Gear before launching it forth in a deluge of crimson power, the attack covering the howling beast in a matter of seconds.

Watching as his Dragon Shot overpowered the beast he smiled in contentment.

'_Two down one to go, guess things are going pretty well.' _He solemnly decided, a smile on his lips as he turned to aid Rias and Akeno who were dealing with the last Cerberus.

But as if mocking his thoughts a single word coming from his gear forced him to stop, shaking his head in annoyance as he silently cursed arrogant giant dragons with no sense of timing.

**[Reset]**

**[And my timing is impeccable! It's not my fault your pitiable body cannot hold my might for longer!] **

Ignoring his tenant angry ramblings he started to fall back and restart to charge his [Boosted Gear], eyes locked at the enemy boss that was still watching their battle with an impassive expression.

* * *

Gritting his teeth in annoyance as his blades once more shattered upon contact with Freed's fused Excalibur Kiba inwardly cursed even as he rolled to the side in other to better allow Xenovia to strike at the small opening his own attack had created.

Clasping a newly formed sword on his hands he charged forward attempting to flank their opponent, eyes eagerly following as Xenovia and Freed exchanged blows, each strike reverberating the very air around them with the strength of the mad exorcist blade, her blade indestructible nature proving itself again and again as it matched Freed's sword with ease.

Watching as Kirito appeared to the side of the mad exorcist blades mid swing and forcing Freed to fall back for an instant in a blur of speed he inwardly cursed.

Freed had been an troublesome opponent even the first time they had faced him all those months ago when Issei and Asia had first joined the Peerage, after adding to it the ridiculous level of speed Excalibur Rapidly had brought to bear he had become a serious nuisance, but now that to top it all his blade could also deliver concentrated destruction force upon contact with its edge, he had become a true threat.

Kiba knew that his blades had a weakness to the holy weapons since they were basically his own demonic power given form, but the fact his blades couldn't even touch the fused Excalibur without breaking was a serious insult to him.

The fact Kirito was doing practically the impossible to make sure his own far less vulnerable more conventionally made blades never touched Freed's swords edge, and doing so managed to keep harassing their opponent, did little to reassure him of said fact.

Blade aflame he darted forward, strike aimed at his opponents head, only to watch it pass harmlessly trough his head, his form disappearing as if a mirage. Feeling a sudden surge of holy power to his side he ducked low, avoiding the invisible strike that had just passed above his head.

"Ahhhh! No fair you shitty Devil! You aren't supposed to dodge you know?!" Freed bemoaned, his voice seeming to come from empty air. "Do you like my Excalibur-chan new tricks?! Let's see if I can cut you in half for the next one!"

'_And now he can turn invisible and make mirages too.'_ He angrily thought while falling back into a defensive stance, attempting to find their opponent, only to abandon his efforts as Kirito brought down his blades with unerring accuracy down on an apparently empty area, the sound of metal meeting metal indicating he had found their mark.

"Look for his footprints on the ground!" The [Rock] exclaimed even as his blades loudly protested their contact with the holy blade.

Seeing the two footprints standing amidst the dusty ground Kiba charged forward, Xenovia doing likewise from the other side. But even as he closed in a niggling warning from his instincts made him look back, what he saw promptly making him change course, the flame sword in his hands disappearing as he created a different blade.

Positioning his newly created Light Eraser in front of his body he stopped right next to the black clad [Rook] currently engaged in a sword deadlock, the equally black blade now resting on his hands absorbing the beam of light that had been fired against the [Rook].

"Balba!" He spat out in anger, eyes locked at the Arcbishop's form that had just attacked them from across the field.

Argo and her Peerage where easily holding off the Templars, Klein and Suguha expertly wielding their swords while Lizbeth followed close behind delivering punishing blows with her mace, Argo and Silica weaving all around them, the first steel claws and the latters dagger finding any weak spot in their opponents armor and harassing them even further, all the while Sinon rained down silver arrows upon them and Hikari unleashed streams of blue fire at their midst.

All in all it was clear which side had the advantage, but even so, the same annoying resilience they had seen the Templars display back in the warehouse was still at play, armored knights rising back again and again, before finally dropping down for good after taking far more damage that should be possible.

The excommunicated Archbishop was using this resilience of his allies to his advantage, staying back and snipping them with his holy light, aiming for any opening he could find in the fierce melee that was happening all around them, three Templars literally acting as human shields every single time Sinon silver arrows or Hikari's blue flames attempted to take him out.

"Kiba!" Kirito called as Xenovia took his place in facing off against Freed. "We can deal with this one, take that bastard out!"

Nodding his understanding even as Kirito turned around and darted towards Xenovia's side Kiba started to move with all his speed towards Balba's distant form, a fierce smile on his face.

'_You aren't escaping this time Balba!'_

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I have been working at this chapter one bit at a time for a while now.

Originally my plan was to wrap Kokabiel's attack in a single large chapter (around ten thousand words), but since it had been so long since my last update I decided to post the first part of the battle so you all could read it and finish the rest in the next chapter, which thankfully I already have over fifteen hundred words written, and so should be posted on time next month.

So once again, thanks for the understanding regarding the delay in updates.

In a separate note, I wonder if any of you had already managed to figure out that Hikari was a Yokai?

Truth be told I really left behind only two small hints about it, one in chapter 17, where she called Kirito Asuna's 'mate' instead of boyfriend or husband, and the other in chapter 18, with the standoff between Koneko and Hikari, as the little Nekoshou saw trough the Kitsune's disguise. So if you managed to see that, then congratulations!

Argo having a Kitsune for a [Queen] has basically three reasons, one plot relevant which I will disclose latter on in the story, one useful to future developments of some characters, and the last one being that I thought that Argo having a Kitsune, a mythological creature known for its intellect and trickster nature, as a [Queen] was really fitting.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	25. Chapter 25 - Boss Battle!

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like to thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, with this chapter we have finally reached the climax of the Kokabiel/ Excalibur arc; I must say that I'm quite proud of this chapter, hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thirdly, I would like to take a moment in order to give a special thanks to all those who have put this story within their favorites. After last chapter this work now has over fifteen hundred favorites! And that's awesome, so thank you!

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**Boss Battle!**

Completely ignoring the realistic looking illusion rushing at him from the front, Kirito ducked low in order to avoid the invisible blade coming from his left side that was attempting to sever his head off.

Timing his strike in order to ensure his own sword would not touch his opponents own blade's edge he redirected another swing that was seeking his ribs while immediately rolling sideways in order to allow Xenovia a clean strike with Durandal, the legendary blade making an thunderous sound as it hit her equally legendary counterpart.

Regaining his footing and preparing himself to charge right back Kirito gave a silent thanks to whoever ancient blacksmith it was that had decided to never shield the holy aura the Excalibur Fragments gave off constantly while forging the blades.

For that very same aura, now stronger than ever after five of the seven blades had been fused, was one of the main reasons he was able to keep up with Freed despite the mad exorcist alternating between turning invisible and throwing illusions all around in order to try and catch them off guard.

Rushing forward and bringing his swords down slightly to the side of where his senses told him there was the strongest concentration of holy power he stroke at where he assumed the mad exorcist back was, an assumption that was immediately proven right as Freed dropped his invisibility in order to fully use the speed enhancement of his Excalibur in order to avoid the blow.

Weaving his blades into an intricate web of steel Kirito blocked Freed's blindingly fast counter attack; all the while making sure his two swords never touched the Excalibur edge. Dodging a particularly vicious blow, he was sure would shatter his blades if it connected, he inwardly decided that the crazy battle maniac was an extremely annoying opponent to face.

"You shitty Devil! Stop blocking my dear Excalibur-chan strikes! You are not supposed to be able to see my attacks! That's the whole point of being invisible you know?!" He shouted, bringing down his sword down on the ground, forcing Kirito to dodge the wave of debris it had cause. "How am I supposed to kill you if you keep dodging my attacks?!"

"Will you just shut up already?!" Xenovia shouted back, bringing her sword down against their opponent in a rain of punishing blows the stray exorcist only managed to keep up with thanks to his enhanced speed.

Moving forward and redirecting a strike aiming at the fuming blue haired exorcist back, while watching her next blow pass right trough the illusion Freed had left behind as bait, Kirito perfectly understood her aggravation regarding their opponent.

Freed was an extremely skilled swordsman, that was an undeniable fact, but both his speed and strength weren't really that impressive. All in all, when compared with himself or Xenovia, Fred was, in a word, outclassed.

In a normal fight, the result of them clashing would have been a foregone conclusion, especially considering it was two against one; but then again, in a normal fight their opponent would not be wielding a sword that pretty much summed up to be a cheat code.

Extreme speed far beyond even that of a [Knight]; destructive blasts capable of rending steel like tissue paper at the merest touch; the ability to change the shape and form of his sword at will; the ability to turn the wielder and its blade invisible; and the ability to generate illusions at the drop of a hat.

So it wasn't really surprising that both himself and Xenovia were getting just a _little_ bit annoyed with dealing with the stray exorcist.

'_At least she doesn't have to worry about her swords being pulverized.'_ He acknowledge the stray thought with a touch of annoyance while being forced to hastily backpedal in order to prevent his blades from touching the destructive edge of Freed's sword.

Xenovia's Durandal was living up to its legendary status, the supposedly indestructible blade being completely unscathed by repeated clashes against the fused Excalibur, point in fact it was Freed's blade that was starting to show signs of wear. But while the Exorcist could easily block their opponent's Excalibur, she was having far less luck dealing with his invisibility or illusions.

In the order hand Kirito could keep track of their opponent with relative ease, his heightened senses and the feeling of power that Excalibur radiated allowing him to basically ignore all the tricks the mad exorcist kept using. But while he could find him, his own swords were nowhere near Durandal in regards to durability.

So in the end that summed up to him finding Freed and initiating an exchange of blows in order to show to Xenovia where he was, and disengaging before his blades could be destroyed while Xenovia attempted to finish Freed off before he could slip away.

Rinse and repeat.

'_This is going to be one of those days isn't it?'_ He idly mused while unleashing an attack at what appeared to be an empty piece of ground, his swords shaking in a truly concerning manner as the sound of steel meeting steel ringed in the air.

* * *

His sword firmly gripped on his hand and singing through the air, it's dark edge eagerly devouring the light attacks his opponent was raining down upon him from behind the wall of bodies that where attempting to keep them apart, Kiba pushed forward, eyes locked upon the one responsible for the deaths of so many of his friends.

Dodging the swinging halberds of two Templars while sidestepping away from another one charging right against him, he inwardly cursed the stubborn holy knights that kept trying to impede him from reaching Balba.

They would not stop him from achieving his vengeance, from making sure justice was done and that monster in fake holy clothing was made to pay for his crimes.

But even before he could even attempt to take them down dozens of small sparks suddenly appeared all around the three knights blocking his path, the small firefly-like orbs floating around for but a moment before each and every single one of them simultaneously detonated with the strength of a grenade, immediately taking down the knights despite their heavy armor.

Giving a tiny nod of acknowledgment to the Dantalion heiress for the support he charged forward, confident that the rest of her Peerage would deal with the rest of the Templars in short order.

"Balba! You are going to pay for what you have done!" He bellowed out, deftly avoiding the last knight between him and the excommunicated archbishop, cutting him down without even slowing down his charge.

"You insolent whelp! You ignorant fool!" The archbishop shouted in rage, dozens of rays of light forming around him as he grabbed the blue crystal he had showed them at the warehouse in a vice grip. "Those arrogant bastards from the Church were unable to stop me! It won't be you that will do it!"

Stopping his forward charge in order to avoid the veritable rain of light that was being unleashed against him, Kiba bitted his lips until blood was drawn. The fact that Balba was all but using the power he had stolen from the dead of his comrades in order to fight him doing nothing to quell his growing anger.

"Disappear into oblivion you insignificant worm!" Balba shouted, a maddened glint entering his eyes as he forced Kiba into the defensive.

But even as he tried to come up with a plan to approach his foe, all the while weaving and blocking the incoming rays of light, the matter was turned moot. The archbishop being forced to stop his onslaught in favor of hastily erecting a wall of light, moments before a large silver beam impacted it right at the height of his forehead.

Not wasting a single second Kiba took the opening Argo's [Bishop] had given him, lunging forward towards his distracted foe, a feral smile on his face, his [Light Eraser] eagerly biting through Balba's light based defense.

"You insolent fool!" Balba snarled, gathering light into a sword on his right hand while his left kept grasping the blue crystal in a vice gripe. "Know your place, you inferior being!"

Baring his teeth in a snarl Kiba used his [Knight] speed to dodged his opponent clumsy blow, closing in, sword at the ready.

"Feel the pain!" He spat out as his sword pierced right through the archbishop's chest. "Of those inferior beings!"

Looking Balba straight in the eye as his life left his body, Kiba noticed that he couldn't feel the elation he always imagined such an action would have brought him, all he could feel was a hollow ache on his chest.

Watching the blue crystal of solidified light element born from his comrades deaths he knelt down to grab it, fighting back the tears that were attempting to escape.

"Everyone…It's over…" He murmured, holding the crystal close to his chest. "It's finally over…"

Eyes still closed he held out his breath as he felt as if hands where resting upon his shoulders and chest, as if holding him in a gentle embrace. Opening his eyes he watched with incredulously as the gem in his hands shined far more brightly than it had ever shone while on Balba's hands.

No longer fighting back the tears he once again closed his eyes, as words that were not words reverberated through his mind. Words spoken by voices he would recognize anywhere.

**[Please, live on.]**

'_I will.' _He simply answered, a small frail smile gracing his features.

"You are wide open you shitty Devil!" A shout resounded from behind him, shattering the moment.

Turning around with all his speed Kiba watched as Freed closed in, his Excalibur held right above his head with both his hands, ready to be brought down against him, Kirito and Xenovia hot on his heels, but too far away to aid him before the blow was dealt.

Even as he raised his hand, already starting to materialize a sword in order to parry the blow, he knew that it would be futile. One Excalibur Fragment could literally shatter his demonic swords after a few blows, five fragments fused together would literally cleave right through his blade.

But before he could even react he felt as the gem on his hand flared on, the light it possessed filling him with warmth despite its holy nature, guiding his hands.

**[We may not be strong enough alone, but together, we are invincible.]**

Grabbing the light that was infusing his body he fused it with the demonic energy that was already creating the blade on his hand, a calm smile on his face as he moved to block the descending blow.

With a thunderous boom the Fused Excalibur crashed against Kiba's newly formed blade, the resulting shockwave battering both sword users with the force of the impact.

And yet not a single dent could be seen upon the pure black blade on the [Knight's] hand, the brilliant white aura of holy power encasing the demonic blade holding Freed's strike at bay.

"Balance Breaker, [Sword of the Betrayer]." Kiba whispered under his breath as understanding about this particular blade entered his mind, a blade that perfectly mixed both Holy and Demonic energy, holding all the advantages of both powers while forsaking their weaknesses, an impossible blade.

"What?! That's not fair!" Freed bellowed in annoyance, a bellow that was turned in a squeak of surprise as ropes of darkness suddenly wrapped around his legs, binding him into place.

"Xenovia, now!" Kirito shouted while holding the spell in place, said Exorcist not wasting a moment in taking advantage of the opening.

"Saint Roland, give me your strength." She prayed, Durandal shining with a fierce golden light as she brought it down with all her strength against Freed's hastily erected defense.

With a thunderous detonation the indestructible blade proved it's legend worth, shattering the fused Excalibur and moving onward towards the stray exorcist without losing any of its momentum, the force of the blow throwing Freed away, a large gash upon his chest.

Looking at Xenovia's eyes, Kiba found himself surprised to notice he could not find the anger that had hounded his steps for so long.

Grabbing the offered hand and rising to his feet, he gave the Exorcist a small nod of thanks.

For the first time in far too long, he felt at peace.

* * *

Standing next to the form of the last downed Cerberus, Rias took in her surroundings, a small proud smile gracing her features.

All threats had been neutralized without any member of either of her or Argo's Peerages suffering any debilitating injuries. And even if she knew that they still had to face the by far greatest threat, she couldn't help but want to gloat about such a massive victory.

She knew that incredible few of her Peers would have been able to do what they had just did, especially considering how young they were. And that alongside the fact the fight had lasted a good five to ten minutes filled her with hope that if they could hold Kokabiel back just a little longer everything would be alright.

Her musings were cut short though by the sound of polite clapping coming from above. Looking towards the high ranked Fallen sitting upon his floating throne, his hands leisurely clapping and his face holding a look of faint amused appreciation, Rias couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine.

"Not bad, not bad at all." Kokabiel stated in a polite tone of voice as he calmly rose from his throne. "You are far more skilled than I had dared hope. It's almost a pity to have to cut such potential short before it can reach its maturity."

"But alas, so is the way of the world." He solemnly spoke before vanishing in a blur of movement, the resulting shockwave and grunt of pain as Xenovia was pushed aside after blocking a strike from the light spear loosely held on his hand signaling the start of the battle.

"[Rooks] to the front, keep him busy! [Knights] and [Pawns] harass him further!" Argo shouted while unleashing a barrage of spells towards Kokabiel swiftly moving form, aiding Kirito and Klein struggling forms as they crossed blades with the Fallen. "Rias you, our [Queens] and my [Bishop], fire away!"

Shaking her head to clear away the completely inappropriate tinge of annoyance of having another commanding her Peerage, Rias started shooting streams of her power of destruction, specifically targeting the Fallen light spears as they formed, destroying the light constructs before they could be launched against them.

Watching as Asuna weaved between both the rain of arrows and jets of blue flames being fired by Sinon and Hikari and a simultaneous crunching assault from both Koneko and Lizbeth, rapier alight with demonic power and ever searching for openings, while at the other side Kiba and Xenovia blocked a couple of impossibly fast strikes in order to allow Kirito and Issei to unleashed two high powered strikes at Kokabiel's harassed form, Rias felt the first faint stirrings of hope.

Destroying a light spear moments before it could impact against Klein's charging form, all the while Kirito and Kiba crossed blades in order to block a truly titanic strike, that literally crushed the ground upon which they were standing, creating an opening which both Suguha and Asuna immediately exploited in order to unleashed twin strikes against the Fallen's chest, she felt a fierce smile entering her features.

They could do this. Despite all his power, Kokabiel was still a living being, and as such had to have limits to his endurance. Alone none of them would stand even a fraction of a chance against him, but acting together in order to deny him the time to properly focus his might, they could take him down blow by blow, slowly but surely withering him away, as if a mighty boulder being slowly eroded away by the falling rain.

Unfortunately her feelings of determination were short live. Drawing his wings close around his body, as if hugging himself, Kokabiel gathered his power, all but ignoring the rain of blows that was assailing him from all sides, before flapping them outwards and unleashing a barrage of diamond hard feathers in all directions.

Hissing in pain at the holy energy she could feel cursing through the feathers that had hit her, Rias unleashed a massive wave of pure destruction directly against the Fallen, attempting to hold him at bay as the others regrouped from the sudden assault. To no avail.

Moving with daunting speed Kokabiel easily dodged her onslaught, appearing before Xenovia and tossing her aside with ease before immediately disappearing only to reaper next to Klein in order to repeat the process.

Watching as member after member of their group was brought low by his vicious strikes , Rias immediately rushed forward, not knowing how, but intending on protecting her Peerage no matter the cost.

Watching as Kokaiel appeared right next to a kneeling Asia who was in the process of healing Xenovia, spear already lunging forward, she felt her breath hitch in her throat. Only for a sigh of relief to escape her mouth a moment latter as her black clad [Rook] appeared in front of the Devil nun, blocking the strike with his crossed blades.

But even Kirito's strength and skill was not enough, his swords shattering upon the force of the Fallen's next blow, only for it to be immediately followed by another strike, violently throwing Kirito away.

Even as she joined Akeno and Argo in unleashing a barrage of spell fire against Kokabiel, attempting to keep the Fallen at bay while Asuna and Kiba faced off against him with the support of Lizbeth, she couldn't fight off the mounting dread that had set in on her stomach.

Despite the irony of such a thought coming from a Devil, she couldn't help but pray that her brother would arrive soon enough.

* * *

His hands tightening his grip on his now useless swords until his knuckles turned white Kirito forced himself to his feet despite his wounds, fierce determination alight in his eyes as he desperately searched his mind for a way, any way, to take out the extremely powerful enemy that was threatening his friends and family.

Weaponless his [Rook] strength would probably fail to even inconvenience Kokabiel, and the few spells he had mastered lacked the raw power needed to make any kind of impact in the battle raging on.

Watching Asuna evading a light spear by the smallest of margins, sweat dripping from her worried face, he desperately sought for an answer, gritting his teeth in frustration as Klein was swatted aside despite promoting into a [Queen], he scoured his mind for any way to help. For a way he could rejoin the battle.

He refused to accept it, he refused to accept he couldn't protect her and those he cared for, he refused to accept he couldn't protect his loved ones; he refused to accept such a reality!

And yet the truth remained. Kokabiel was far too strong, far too powerful; he was literally a monster, rampaging with impunity amidst mere mortals. The only hope he had of leveling the playing field would be if he himself were to wield similar power, if he himself was a monster.

And as if struck by a lightning bolt an idea crept into his mind, an absolute insane idea which, had he been in his right state of mind, he would have immediately dropped as an impossibility, as something he knew couldn't be done due to the very laws of nature that governed the power he now wielded.

But as it stood he didn't care for what was or wasn't possible, he didn't care for rules or precedents, he didn't care for what logic dictated could or could not happen; all he cared about was protecting his friends and family from the monster that stood before him.

Gathering all his resolve and willpower he started to focus every single drop of his demonic energy, willing it with a steely determination into the shape formed by his imagination.

He could feel power coursing through his veins, energy rushing through his body seeking to obey his commands, searching for a way to translate the dream he was seeking into reality.

But just as he started to allow a fierce smile to appear on his face he felt as his demonic power came to a crashing halt, as if hitting a wall blocking its path, preventing it from doing what he demanded.

Refocusing his resolve he pushed all his power against the barrier, gathering all his will he battered against the obstacle that had appeared, blocking the path to his goal, stopping him from helping Asuna and the others.

He could feel his power pooling alongside the wall, as if a mighty river contained by a gigantic dam, an immovable object that simply refused to yield no matter what he did. As if the universe itself saying: This far and no further.

Baring his teeth in a snarl of rage and ignoring the drops of blood that were slowly dripping down his nose, he gathered all of his power and will, all the resolve, determination and focus that had allowed him to not only survive but thrive during his time in Aincrad, forging it into a diamond hard spear capable of striking anything in its path.

The very laws of nature could be standing in his path, but he simply didn't care, just like he hadn't cared that the Cardinal System itself had stood in his path as he stroke down Heatcliff.

He had done the impossible before, and he would personally see hell freezing over if he couldn't do so again in order to help his friends and family!

With a final bellow of defiance he stroke down the wall that was blocking his path with all his might, demonic power pouring out of his body like a raging maelstrom as the barrier that attempted to hold him back shattered like glass.

He bellowed his defiance into the night as his world was suddenly consumed by fury and flame.

* * *

A loud bestial roar tore through the battlefield, a deafening bellow of primal hate and bloodlust that put the previous howls of the three downed Cerberus to shame, bringing all movement in the area to a stop for a moment as all eyes looked to the raging inferno of black flames from which the inhuman sound was originating.

Eyes wide Asuna looked on in shock as the fires slowly dispersed, revealing a familiar sight in its midst.

A behemoth of massive proportions, easily standing over nine feet tall, stood inside the dying flames, its heavily muscled dark blue furred skin starkly contrasting to the light of the fire, two long clawed arms raised at its sides, a tail resembling a cobra with venom dripping from its fangs wildly lashing behind it, large goat like horns and a pair of crimson gleaming eyes resting upon its head.

"The Gleam-eyes…?" Asuna found herself muttering in astonishment as she took in the form of the Boss of the seventy fourth floor of Aincrad, her eyes staring in disbelief at the sight presented before them.

"Kazuto-kun…?" She heard Suguha say in disbelief at her said, the meaning behind the question shocking her even more.

'_Kirito-kun…?' _She incredulously though as her mind tried to grasp what her husband had just done.

Unminding of the shocked stares it was receiving the creature lowered its head, crimson eyes full of bloodlust focusing on Kokabiel's intrigued form. Baring its teeth into a snarl the creature crouched low, before exploding into movement.

With speed that belittled its massive size the creature crossed the distance between itself and the Fallen in a mere second, large craters left upon the ground as the only sign of its passage, a large clawed arm already mid-swing towards its surprised target as it all but materialized at his side.

A resounding crack echoed throughout the area as Kokabiel was tossed aside towards one of the academy's walls with the speed of bullet, the Gleam-eyes already pursuing him even before he impacted the wall, a bellow of rage blowing out of its open maw.

Leaping into the rising dust cloud that marked the impact point of the Fallen it struck down with both of its clawed fists, the strength of the blow shoving the dust away and leaving a massive crater on its impact point.

Rising its arms one more time the enrage creature attempted to bring them down for one more blow, only for its impressive strength to be meet by an equally powerful force.

"Fascinating! Truly fascinating!" Kokabiel shouted as he kept the creature's massive arms at bay with his own hands, a form of manic glee entering his tone of voice, a grin on his face despite the blood leaking from his mouth. "To think you possessed such an ability young one! What else can you do I wonder?"

As if answering his question the Glean-eyes drew its head back before lunging forward, mouth agape, bellowing a jet of blue flames straight into the Fallen's standing between its arms.

Dodging with preternatural speed Kokabiel avoided the blue flames, arms already swinging with a light spear on his grasp, the blow hitting the massive beast with enough force to send it tumbling backwards several feet, the ground beneath its feet shattering like glass.

Righting itself as if the blow had been nothing the creature once again charged the Fallen, a bestial roar ripping through its throat as he struck back, its clawed hand grinding against Kokabiel light spear.

Watching what she was now fairly certain was her husband under some sort of spell attempting to keep their enemy at bay Asuna shook off her surprise and leaped to action.

Disappearing in a blur of movement Asuna dashed forward towards the Fallen, rapier already encased in demonic energy and flashing forward, eight strikes surging nearly simultaneously towards his unprotected back.

Only to watch as Kokabiel somehow managed to turn around and block her strikes after pushing back his opponent for a moment with a burst of strength.

"Not bad, not bad at all!" The Fallen shouted, his manic grin still firmly into place even as he started to swing his light spear towards Asuna, intending to take her out in one blow.

A blow that never connected as Issei barreled at the Fallen's side with the strength of a freight train.

"Shut up you crazy bastard!" The wielder of the [Boosted Gear] shouted back, his right fist crashing against Kokabiel's chest with enough force to make the Fallen take a step back.

But as their opponent turned its gaze to the Peerage's only [Pawn] Kirito had already recovered from his own strike and was already rushing back, unleashing a series of crushing blows with his massive arms, forcing the Fallen Angel to block them with his spears.

Darting between the raining blows Asuna weaved and dodged, her rapier flashing forward, drawing crimson lines of blood upon their distracted opponent. A series of silver arrows, blue flames and other spells showing she hadn't been the only one to take advantage of Kokabiel distracted situation.

"Is this all you got?! Show me the true extent of your potential!" Kokabiel eagerly bellowed, each strike that found its mark apparently only raising his excitement more and more as he unfurled his ten wings around him before unleashing a barrage of razor sharp feathers in all directions.

Dodging behind her husband massive bulk in order to avoid the onslaught Asuna gathered her demonic power around her blade, a crescent shaped blade of pressurized water being launched forward the moment she appeared at his other side.

Watching Kokabiel blocking both her attack as well as the massive silver beam Sinon had fired, Asuna narrowed her eyes, wondering what it would take to bring him down. Only to have her question answered as Kirito tackled the Fallen forcing him off balance, Koneko rushing alongside his massive arm, a snarl on her face as she brought down a crushing blow against the Fallen now opened defense, her blow forcing Kokabiel backwards even more and opening him for a salvo from their arcane heavy hitters, as Argo, Rias, Hikari and Akeno simultaneously unleashed their powers into a concentrated barrage, their attacks colliding into a literal wall of pure destruction.

Not counting on that the impressive display of power would be enough to take out their formidable foe for good Asuna rushed forward, Klein, Kiba, Xenovia and Suguha closing in from four other different directions in a pincer attack, as if acknowledging her own thoughts.

Their caution proved correct as with a massive beat of his wings the Fallen dispersed the massive cloud of smoke that had sprung up, his smile wider than ever despite the injuries littering his body.

"More!" Kokabiel shouted, blocking Kiba and Xenovia with two light spears and Suguha, Xenovia and Asuna with his wings, weathering their blows before pushing them away with a pulse of power. "More I say!"

His demand was immediately met by a massive claw surging forward towards his chest, while a gauntlet crimson fist collided against his back, Issei and Kirito hitting simultaneously with punishing blows, swiftly followed by Lizbeth mace enveloped in a nearly blinding amount of lightning and Koneko's fist encased in enough demonic power to hide the entirety of her arm.

Regaining her feet and rushing back into the fray, Asuna felt the faint stirrings of hope surging within her. Watching her friends weaving in and out of the Fallen's attack range, unleashing blow after blow while their sturdier members blocked and redirected the Fallen attention, all the while their ranged members rained their attacks from afar, she realized that just like with dealing with a Floor Boss, they could win this if they turned it into a battle of attrition, slowly withering him away while avoiding his counterattacks.

Watching as Issei took a familiar stance she darted back, stopping right next to Kirito's transformed form with Koneko crouching on his back, just as a gargantuan wave of crimson energy washed over the battlefield as Issei unleashed a fully powered Dragon Shot.

"Hikari! Now!" Argo shouted, clasping her hands together as her [Queen] mirrored her actions from the other side of the field. Demonic power pouring out of them as a truly massive magical circle appeared, covering the entirety of the academy.

"Darkness that dwells in the Abyss, head my call, surge forth from the depths and entrap all those who dwell in the light; Void Seal!" They shouted simultaneously as a wall of darkness seemed to surge forth in a circle, enveloping the still raising dust cloud in a sphere of pure darkness over fifty feet wide before suddenly disappearing, leaving behind a perfectly spherical hole on the ground, all that had been inside the sphere, including the ground, having vanished without a trace.

"You set a Void Seal inside school grounds?!" Rias asked, her eyes locked at the perfectly spherical fifty feet wide hole, her tone of voice battling between impressed, worried, incredulous and aghast.

"Don't worry, we had it under control." The exhausted Dantalion heiress daintily answered from where she had all but collapsed on the ground. "And besides, it worked didn't i…"

Her words were cut short as the entirety of the academy grounds shock into place, as if hit by an impossibly strong blow, a tremor that was quickly followed by another, and another.

"Oh you got to be kidding me." Argo bemoaned as the very air on the center of the hole seemed to crack and shatter as if it was glass.

With a final deafening explosion a jagged hole in reality appeared, allowing a madly grinning Kokabiel out and back into the academy grounds.

"Impressive, truly impressive." The 'Angel of the Stars' stated in a deeply satisfied manner, his grin staying in place even as Kirito attempted to charge at him.

Moving with far greater speed than anything he had displayed so far Kokabiel batted Kirito massive transformed form aside, two light spears piercing his chest and forcing him back into a human form amidst an explosion of black flames.

"Kirito!" Asuna shouted, immediately rushing towards the black clad [Rook] downed form, Asia following close behind her, her [Twilight Healing] already materialized on her hands.

"To think those born upon this age would have such delightful skills, truly even with God long gone his creations still never cease to amaze me!"

Even as she made sure her husband was alright, Asuna couldn't help but stop and stare at what the Fallen had just casually said, incredulity making her wonder if she had truly just heard what she believe she had.

"W-what?!" Issei shouted, unknowingly giving voice to the incredulity they all were feeling. "What do you mean gone?!"

"Oh yes of course, I had nearly forgotten. The lower ranks were never told the truth were they?" Kokabiel nonchalantly asked, his manic grin still firmly into place as he took in their shocked appearances. "You see, during the Great War, it was not only the original Four Satans that perished, but God himself as well!"

"You mean grandfather crazy conspiracy theories were actually right?!" Argo muttered incredulously, too shocked to notice the tension all around them.

"…It's a lie… it has to be a lie…" Xenovia said in a near whisper, a lost look on her face as Durandal slipped off her fingers and hit the ground.

"Why so shocked little Exorcist? After all is not as if the ruling members of the Church don't know about this!" He taunted, clearly enjoying the discomfort his words had caused.

"But while I commend the strength you have showed me this day, regrettably, it's still not enough." He idly spoke, as if talking to himself, all but ignoring them. "Sirzechs will soon reach us, and I would rather our fight not be interrupted by unneeded distractions."

"Begone!" He shouted, arms raised, as hundreds of light spears formed above him, each with enough power to level a whole building.

Eyes locked at their incoming demise, futilely trying to come up with a way they could endure his onslaught, Asuna's eyes, used to dealing with extreme speeds, caught sight of a white blur closing in with insane speed.

**[Divide.]**

A deep resonating, oddly familiar, voice sounded through the battlefield, Kokabiel faltering in place as over half his light spears simply flickered out of existence.

"Kokabiel, the 'Angel of the Stars', you are hereby under arrest by order of General-governor Azazel of the Grigori." The young man that had just appeared right behind the Fallen said in an uninterested tone of voice.

"You…!" Kokabiel snarled, unleashing all his remaining light spears against the silver haired man, only to have them batted aside with casual ease.

Disappearing in a blur of motion he reappeared right next to the Fallen, left hand idly touching his shoulder.

**[Divide]**

The voice resonated once again as Kokabiel seemed to literally deflate into place, as if his power had been sapped right out of him.

Looking at the translucent blue wing like device that was sprouting from the silver haired man's back, she suddenly realized exactly who the voice reminded her of.

'_Ddraig. It's just like when Ddraig announces he has Boosted Issei.'_

"You miserable mongrel!" He snarled while grabbing his opponent black jacket, a light spear appearing on his other hand ready to impale his opponent placid looking form. "I will not permit one of Azazel's miserable lap dogs to stop me!"

Grabbing the very tip of the spear incoming with his left hand he gave Kokabiel a clearly unimpressed look, moments before he crushed the light weapon by closing his hand.

**[Divide]**

His Sacred Gear declared at the same moment he stroke down the Fallen with a punch to the gut, it's shockwave strong enough to push her back a step even with the distance between them.

"I have no need for your permission." He stated as the Fallen all but collapsed against him.

Looking at the man idly floating above them while giving them all an appraising look, someone who had made defeating Kokabiel seem easy, Asuna couldn't help but feel nervous and more than a bit confused.

A feeling that clearly was not shared by one of her more willful friends if one were to gauge it by her next words.

"Vali! What the hell took you so long to get here?!" Argo shouted from where she was sitting on the ground, an unamused look on her face. "You. Are. Late!"

Giving her old friend an look that was an odd mix of tiredness, annoyance and resignation, Asuna decided she didn't want to know.

The battle was over and everyone was still alive, and that was more than enough for the moment. Latter on she would find out why Argo was berating the clearly dangerous individual that had took down Kokabiel.

For now, she would rather just rest.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

And with that we conclude the Kokabiel/Excalibur arc.

In many ways I see Kokabiel as a sort of wake up call for the Peerage, showing them what they have to face at the end of their journey. From my point of view he is clearly a near end game boss that got impatient and rushed to meet the adventurers long before he should in a traditional storyline.

In order to portray that I attempted to show him as some kind of unstoppable force, taking everything the cast could throw at him and keep going. Hopefully it turned up alright.

Many of you repeatedly asked along the story if Kirito would eventually be able to use the 'Bestial Transformation' from ALO, well, I guess this answers those questions doesn't it?

Canon 'High school DxD' says that willpower and conviction are cornerstones of demonic power, so from the start of this story I wondered what that would mean for Kirito, and to a lesser extend Asuna, whose willpower was strong enough to overpower the Cardinal system back on Aincrad. After all, for all intends and purposes, the Cardinal system was akin to the will of a god while inside the game, and they broke it through sheer determination.

For now, that translated into Kirito managing to transform himself into the Gleam-eyes. Latter on? Well you will have to wait and see.

Regarding Argo's reaction at the end of the chapter.

Canon never told us how Azazel got ahold of the information regarding Kokabiel's attack in order for him to send Vali to interfere. So in my story I'm making it that it was Argo and the Dantalion's that informed him of the situation, so Argo knew that Vali was coming, and was annoyed by the fact he chose to be 'Fashionably Late.'

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


	26. Chapter 26 - An Unexpected Aftermath

**Author's Notes:**

Firstly, as always, I would like to thank all those who favorite, followed or reviewed my story. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.

Secondly, I would like to give a very special thanks to all my reviewers. As of last chapter this story has now over a thousand reviews! That's absolutely awesome! Thanks for all the support!

Thirdly, you will all be glad to know that I finally finished my graduation thesis for college; what that means is that now I won't have to waste entire weekends finishing a over sixty pages long thesis, and so will be able to actually focus on writing again.

Lastly: **I do not own either "HighSchool DxD" or "SwordArtOnline"**

* * *

**An Unexpected Aftermath**

Looking at the silver haired damned pretty boy that had just taken down Kokabiel, and was now silently staring at Argo while she berated him for his apparent tardiness, Issei wondered what the hell had just happened, a feeling that was not helped by his draconic tenant's next words.

**[So He has finally appeared.] **Ddraig happily proclaimed, a feeling of anticipation clear in his words.

'_He? Wait do you know this guy?!'_ Issei questioned, not taking his eyes from the impassive looking Devil.

**[Well… yes and no.]** Was the dragon's sheepish reply. **[I have no idea who he is, but I know precisely WHAT he is.]**

'_And that is what exactly?'_ He absentmindedly asked while idly wondering why this so called Vali was simply standing there while Argo ranted all around him.

**[Your destined rival and holder of the [Divine Divide], The White Dragon Emperor, Albion's chosen champion.] **He all but roared, his titanic voice once more resounding with eagerness and confidence. **[He is the one you must defeat in the sacred field of battle! Your eternal nemesis! The one you shall have to overcome in order to stride forward towards your dream! The White One!]**

Issei could feel his blood start pumping at the Crimson Emperor's words as he looked at his supposed opponent, even while a small shiver of fear passed through his body as he reminded how easily this so called Vali had defeated Kokabiel.

But his feelings of apprehension were short lived, as another equally titanic voice resounded trough his mind, cutting his train of thought.

**[Seriously? We have just met again and you don't even ask how I've been doing, how things have been, or anything else like that; no, you just have to go straight to the apocalyptic inescapable rivals' part.]** The new voice said, his toned an interesting mix of amusement, annoyance and resignation. **[I don't even know why I'm surprised. Must you always be so melodramatic Ddraig?]**

**[Excuse me, if I'm trying to give the first meeting between our hosts the appropriate **_**'gravitas'**_** such an occasion demands!]** Ddraig indignantly replied. **[And I can't believe you are calling ME melodramatic, what with your usual choice of hosts!]**

**[And what exactly do you mean by that?!] **The second voice asked in such a way that Issei couldn't help but picture someone crossing their arms and huffing indignantly.

**[Oh please, you know perfectly well what I mean. You have a tendency towards partnering with 'Drama Queen's' and you know it! And considering how this one decided to appear at the very last moment in order to make a dramatic entrance that still holds true!]**

Feeling even more confused, even thought he was starting to suspect who was owner of the second titanic voice, Issei noticed that the up till now impassive looking Vali appeared to have developed a very slight eye twitch.

**[Like you are one to talk! You have no room to question my choice of hosts, after all you always chose some weirdo to be your host! Do not think for a moment I forgot about that crazy snake lady you chose as a host that time in…]**

**[WE AGREED TO NEVER TALK ABOUT THAT AGAIN!] **Was Ddraig frantically bellowed reply.

'_What…?'_ Issei couldn't help but think, utterly bemused by the whole situation.

**[Nothing!]** Was the red dragon immediate answer, before he made a clear effort to change the subject. **[Hyoudou Issei may I present to you Albion, The Vanishing Dragon, also known as The White Dragon Emperor.]**

'_Nice to meet you?'_ He more asked than stated, wondering if all eternal rival locked in an endless struggle acted this weirdly, unknowingly making a bowl cut martial arts enthusiast in another dimension to enter into a impassionate speech about the power of youth.

**[Likewise young Devil, I look forward to the ultimate contest between you and my own host in the field of battle, perhaps you will even manage to break Ddraig's recent stream of loses.]** Was the surprisingly polite reply from the White Dragon Emperor.

**[Hah, you will see Albion I've got a good feeling about this one, you should have seen it! Less than six months ago he was as powerless as a newborn kitten, but now here he is, standing his ground against a ten winged Fallen!]** Ddraig happily boasted, as if talking about a particularly good boxer he was betting on**. [This time victory will be assuredly mine!]**

**[Our current score disagrees Red Emperor, or did you forget that I have four hundred and thirty seven victories against your measly four hundred and thirty five?]** Albion smugly asked, causing Ddraig to start to grumble irritably.

Hearing the good natured ribbing going on between the two supposedly bitter rivals, and the way they seemed to take their unending struggle for supremacy as some sort of competition, Issei couldn't help but feel more than a little bemused.

'_You know Ddraig, this really isn't how I thought you would deal with the so called White One you kept mentioning.'_ He couldn't help but comment.

**[Heh, you called me that to your host? Let me guess young one, you were expecting something more along the lines of: PREPARE YOURSELF YOU LOATHSOME BEAST! THERE IS NO RUNNING! THERE IS NO HIDING! REPENT! FOR YOUR END IS NIGHT! FOR BEFORE MY MIGHT YOU SHALL BREATH YOUR LAST!]** Albion suddenly shouted in a threatening booming voice, before immediately returning to his calm polite tone afterwards. **[Something like that?]**

'_Yeah pretty much…'_ Was the [Pawn] wide eyed response while he inwardly mused if all Dragons were as weird as these two.

**[Listen up partner, when you are an overwhelmingly powerful immortal being which has been rendered completely unable to influence the outside world in any shape or form with the sole exception of talking to your host and your nemesis, when you are close enough to him that is, while at the same time knowing your chances of escape are, in a word, nonexistent, after some time you learn to simply kick back, enjoy the show and take what amusement you can from whatever comes your way]**. Ddraig replied in a cheerful carefree manner.

**[When you add in the fact that since as long as humanity lives on we WILL be reincarnated into new hosts, then it's not really surprising that our little grudge match kind of lost most of its heat after some time and ended up turning into more of a competition of sorts than anything else.] **Albion helpfully added on.

'_I see…'_ Issei replied back uncertainly, all but seeing the massive shrug of shoulders implied on the titanic being words. _'And how long did it take for that to happen?'_

**[Oh no more than a millennium, give or take a century or two.]**

Looking back to the silver haired damned pretty boy that was talking to both Argo and Rias as he tried to wrap his mind at the two Dragon Emperors words, a sudden thought entered Issei's mind.

'_Wait! Since I'm talking to you through your link to Ddraig, doesn't that mean that the damned pretty boy over there can hear us too?'_

**[You mean Vali? Oh most definitely. He is just really good at pretending he can't hear me when near other people, something about not appearing insane and other such nonsense.]**

Remembering Ddraig's own advice in regards to that, Issei could only nod and agree that it was a sensible course of action.

* * *

"And one more thing, what's up with the silent treatment! I've been talking to you for over three minutes now, and all you have been doing is standing there trying to look intimidating or something." Argo said to Vali's face from where she had been standing right in front of him for a while now.

Watching her fellow [King] berating the undoubtedly powerful being that had just defeated Kokabiel and made it look easy, to the point one of his eyebrows had started to faintly twitch of all things, Rias couldn't help but wonder what was his relationship with the Dantalion heiress, and also if said heiress had any actual survival instincts.

"Are you even listening to me? Geez, I haven't seen you in years and this is how you treat me, I'm devastated Vali, completely devastated I tell you." She continued, clutching her heart with both hands in fake pain while giving the bearer of the [Divine Divide] her best puppy dog eyes.

"I see you haven't changed Tsukino-san." The silver haired man finally said while letting out a small sigh. "But then again I guess expecting that would be asking for far too much."

"Vali! You wound me with your words." She bemoaned, the effect of her act being utterly ruined by the slowly growing grin emerging on her face. "But theatrics aside, thanks for the save."

"Would you mind introducing me to your friend Argo?" Rias stated while giving the clearly powerful young man in front of them a searching look, silently considering his threat level in regards to herself and her Peerage.

"Of course, of course. Rias Gremory allow me to present you to Vali Lucifer, black sheep of the Lucifer clan, holder of the Longinus class Sacred Gear [Divine Dividing], member of the Grigori, and currently one of Azazel's top operatives."

"A pleasure Vali-san, you have my thanks for the aid you granted us on this day."Rias said in a calm tone of voice even as her eyes widened slightly in surprise at the introduction, for not only was this man a part of the clan of the original Lucifer, but he was also the holder of the White Dragon Emperor, and as such fated to fight Issei one day.

And the thought of her dear Issei having to face such a powerful warrior in the field of battle simply filled her with dread.

'_I'm upping Issei training regime immediately.'_ She silently decided, giving Vali an analyzing look. _'I'm upping it drastically.'_

For though the bearer of the [Boosted Gear] had indeed advanced in leaps and bounds since his reincarnation, he was still leagues bellow Vali, and there was no way she was letting her Issei fall to this man.

If that meant making him endure some extreme training exercises for the foreseeable future, well, she could probably find a way to reward him latter, she was sure of it.

"I was merely doing my job as requested by General-governor Azazel, not hanks are necessary." He formally stated, his professional looking appearance being immediately ruined when Argo grabbed his left arm in a bear grip while giving him a pouting look.

"And here I thought you did it for a dear old friend, you are so cold Vali!" She bemoaned in faux pain.

Giving Argo a deadpan look for a long moment, before turning back to stare at the Gremory heiress as if he did not have a High Class Devil hanging from his arm like a limpet, he continued speaking.

"Now if you excuse me, I must take Kokabiel back in order for him to face punishment for his crimes."

"Hyoudou Issei." He stated in a loud tone of voice, drawing the attention of her up till now distracted looking [Pawn]. "Grow strong holder of the Red Emperor, for I look forward to when our paths shall cross again in the field of battle."

"I see you still love your theatrics, don't you?" Argo asked with an impish smile, letting go of his arm and giving him a playful shove. "Alright off you go you inconsiderate brute, always a pleasure seeing you again."

The holder of the [Divine Divide] gave the Dantalion Heiress an extremely long look, before acknowledging her words with the barest of nods.

"Indeed, Tsukino-san." He calmly replied before hoisting Kokabiel over one of his shoulders like a sack of potatoes and immediately taking off into the sky.

"Gezz, it seems that guy has gotten even more uptight than before these past few years, and I seriously didn't think that was possible." Argo chirpily stated, arms firmly placed upon her hips as she tracked Vali's quickly disappearing form. "Oh well, making him open up again will be undoubtedly interesting!"

Shaking her head at her fellow [King] antics Rias opened up her mouth to ask for more information regarding Argo's apparent connection to the rogue Lucifer, but before she could get a single word out an impossibly fast red blur suddenly collided with her form while being accompanied by an extremely loud shout.

"Rias-tan! Have no fear, Onii-chan is here to save you!" The blur shouted while crushing her in an extremely strong hug, her world turning into a blur of colors as she was twirled around by her captor.

Struggling to get off her brother's fierce embrace, while at the same time tuning out his incoherent babbling, she felt her cheeks heating up due to his overt display of silly affection, her embarrassment only intensifying upon hearing Argo's silently muttered comment as she gazed at the scene.

"So he does have a sister complex after all." She plainly stated, a grin firmly set upon her face.

* * *

Walking alongside Kiba through the shaded path of the park after leaving Kuoh academy, Issei couldn't help but be happy that everything ended up okay.

The crazy bastard Fallen had been defeated, Kiba had managed to put the memory of his deceased friends to rest, and everyone had been fine after Asia had healed them. All in all there was nothing he could complain about.

Sure Kirito was still unconscious, but with Asia's help he knew that in the end the [Rook] would be just fine, and while the [Pawn] also knew that now he somehow had a really strong damn pretty boy archrival or something, that was a problem for the future, and as such he would not allow it to sour his mood, the fact that he would be undergoing another round of the special 'treatment' necessary to keep his arm human looking soon only managing to improve his mood.

**[Glad to see some things haven't changed partner.]** Ddraig mirthfully commented.

Ignoring his titanic lodger words he kept walking, determined to not allow anything to ruin his mood.

His decision was immediately tested as upon taking a turn in the path they saw Xenovia sitting underneath the shade of a tree, knees held against her chest and a lost look upon her face.

"Xenovia what are you still doing here? I thought that you and Irina had already left yesterday." He asked while moving towards the Exorcist, slightly worried due to her appearance, sure their first meeting had been kind of rocky, but in the end she had proven herself alright.

The [Pawn] immediately noticed that something was seriously wrong, for the normally strong looking woman lost look seemed to intensify at his words.

"Are you alright?" Kiba said breaking the uncomfortable silence Issei question had unwillingly created. "And where is Irina?"

"Going back to the Church with the Excalibur fragments. She couldn't understand why I refused to go back…" She said in a low tone of voice, arms tightening their hold upon her legs."I don't blame her; after all, I simply did not have the heart to tell her the truth."

"That God is apparently dead?" Issei asked, remembering the crazy bastard Fallen saying something in that regard.

"They expected us to die you know…" She said, ignoring Issei question. "There was no way we could defeat Kokabiel unscathed and they knew it, I knew it too from the moment that we took this mission, and I was fine with it. After all what greater glory could I ever reach than dying in the service of the Lord." She slowly stated a small wry smile on her face.

"All my life I had dedicated my every waking moment to one purpose and one purpose alone, to serve the almighty." She continued, her voice pained. "I sacrificed everything for it, only to find out that everything I had ever done was for nothing, that they lied to us during every single moment of our faithful service. That God has long been dead."

"And now that I know that, what purpose do I still have? The beliefs that I had faithfully served, the ideals that I had held, do they even still have any meaning? I know what the higher ups of the Church would demand if I returned, my silence and obedience. Is that all that I am? Am I but a weapon to be used to dispose of what they disapprove? Am I really that worthless?" She asked in a pained tone of voice, lost eyes gazing into the distance.

Issei had been getting even more uncomfortable as her speech went on, but upon hearing that last question, the utterly lost tone present in her words, he couldn't help but feel a defiant fire lighting up on his heart.

"You are not a weapon! You are whatever you want to be!" He firmly stated, putting a hand upon the apparently former exorcist shoulder. "You are a brave warrior that helped us to fight off that crazy bastard and avoid a freaking war! There is no way you could be worthless!"

"If those idiots in the Church can't see how awesome you are then it's their problem! After all we can see it! You are better off without then!" He exclaimed with conviction looking Xenovia straight in the eye.

"I know from personal experience what is like to have your whole world all but crumble around you." Kiba said with a small pained smile. "And while I know it's nowhere as easy as it sounds, all you can do is move on."

The blonde [Knight's] words stirred a memory within Issei's mind, a large smile appearing on his face as he considered the idea he had just had.

"I know!" He boisterously exclaimed, drawing the attention of the two sword users at his side. "If you don't want to go back, why don't you stay with us? You are crazy strong, so I have no doubt that Buchou would welcome you into the Peerage right away!"

"This way you can stay with us while you deal with all this stuff, and we can help you as much as we can!" He cheerfully stated, happy he had thought about such a solution.

"Ahm, there might be a slight problem with that plan." Kiba sheepishly said, especially uncomfortable due to the considering hopeful look he could see within Xenovia's eyes. "You see, Rias Buchou already has a full Peerage, she doesn't have any Evil Pieces left in order to allow Xenovia to join us."

Issei face all but crumbled as he was reminded of that particular fact, but his morose expression was short lived as he suddenly had an idea of how to deal with this new problem.

"Wait, I have an idea! Come with me!" He cheerfully exclaimed grabbing Xenovia's hand and all but dragging her along, a bemused looking Kiba following right behind them.

**[There is no such thing as one dull moment with you, is there partner?]** Ddraig happily asked, having followed the [Pawn's] train of thought and silently laughing approvingly on what it would entail.

* * *

Sitting alongside her Mama and Koneko right next to the bed upon which her Papa was resting Yui could not help but feel more than a little bit annoyed with her, currently, biological body.

Yes her father had just been treated for an extensive list of injuries by Asia, said injuries varying from broken bones and torn muscles, deep cuts and puncture wounds, down to several ruptured blood veins in the frontal lobe of his brain, all in all painting an extremely grim picture that had taken the Devil nun hours to deal with despite her impressive healing abilities.

But the main point was that he _had_ already been treated, the holder of the [Twilight Healing] having left for more than three hours already after saying that Kirito would wake up shortly, and that with the exception of feeling extremely tired he would be perfectly fine.

And yet despite all the logical arguments stating that there was no reason for worry, the there was no longer any danger to his health, that her Papa was completely fine, Yui could not shake off the apprehension that her body insisted on inflicting upon her brain.

'_Fact: Hormones are an extremely inefficient form of emotional control and are truly annoying things.'_ The little AI firmly decided, tightening her hold upon her Onee-chan's arm in search of reassurance as she felt a sudden spike on her body chemistry that coincided with a new wave of worry assaulting her mind.

Looking at both Asuna's worried gaze and Koneko's equally worried eyes, she knew the other two were also being subjected to the ministration of their bodies biochemistry.

'_Enquire: How can biological beings function properly when they are subjected to such things all the time?' _She mused, wondering how they managed to deal with such strong emotional responses all the time in an attempt to distract herself from the situation at hand,

After all, she at least could get some respite by turning back into an digital format, a form upon which her emotions were guided by clearly logical and well structured pathways, not this hodgepodge mixture of barely controlled and often contradictory chemical signs.

The more she learned about biological beings, the more she understood why her grandfather had thought that creating Yui in order to try and help their mental well being and health was necessary.

But even as she delved deeper into the particular line of thought, analyzing both the differences that could be found between her digital and biological bodies and her growing knowledge of mental health care, part of her mind could not help but keep analyzing the situation at hand, her mind easily managing to keep up with the multiple trains of though.

Normally her multitasking abilities were a boon, something that allowed her to interact with her surroundings with far greater efficiency.

But right now all that meant was that her attempts at distracting herself and keeping her mind busy were failing magnificently.

'_Fact: Most injuries sustained by Papa's body bear direct resemblance to the injuries taken upon his transformed state, only lessened by several orders of magnitude.'_

'_Fact: Not all injuries correlate to wounds acquired during the fight, utterly lack of head wounds are in direct contrast with reported internal damage upon the frontal lobe.'_

She couldn't help but analyze, eyes frowned in worry as she took in Kirito's prone form, her mind continuously rummaging through the data at her disposal as it searched for an answer.

'_Hypothesis: Inner damage to the frontal lobe was not caused by an external attack, inner damage caused by Papa's transformation.'_

She knew that particular hypothesis had a very high probability of being true, and that did not please her in the slightest, for all the psychological models she had created in regards to her Papa indicated that he would not hesitate to use that transformation again even if it was proven to be harmful to his body.

He simply would accept it and use it anyway if he thought that it was necessary to safeguard them from a potential threat, regardless of the possible risks to his own well being.

Letting out a small sigh she bemoaned how little progress she had made in easing her Papa out of what she had learned was called a 'Hero's Complex.'

Luckily for her peace of mind all her trains of thought were abruptly cut out as she noticed Kirito was slowly stirring.

"Papa you are awake!" She cheerfully stated while throwing herself forward, tackle hugging the still half asleep [Rook] with all her might.

"Asuna, Koneko, Yui." He acknowledge while returning Yui's hug with one of his arms. "What happened? My memory is kind of fuzzy, but last I remember Kokabiel was all but crushing us."

"What happened is that after your little reckless stunt, one of Argo's contingency plans came into effect in the form of reinforcements from an unexpected source." The auburn haired [Knight] seriously stated, leveling the [Rook] with an unamused stare. "But what I want to know is what were you thinking Kirito! Whatever it was you did in order to turn into the Gleam-eyes nearly made you have a stroke! Asia had to spend hours healing you, and even then you stayed unconscious for over twelve hours!"

"I don't really think I was thinking at all." He truthfully replied while moving his free arm in order to sheepishly scratch the back of his head. "All I knew was that I had to do something to level the playing field somehow, afterwards, everything all sort of blurs together."

Letting out a tired sigh Asuna rested her head upon her hands, clearly exasperated. "Why am I not surprised…"

"Please take more care Kirito, you worried all of us tremendously." She stated gaining a fierce nod of agreement from Koneko's silent form and an energetic affirmative from Yui.

After the declaration a thick uneasy silence seemed to descend upon the room, until clearly searching for a way to change the topic of discussion the black clad [Rook] eyes feel upon Koneko's form and he remembered one important fact that had made itself known yesterday.

"So… I take that the Caith Sith are real then?" Kirito finally asked the petit [Rook], the non sequitur of the question gaining incredulous stares from both Asuna and Koneko.

"Idiot."The small girl replied while giving her fellow [Rook] a small punch in the shoulder, Asuna shaking her head in exasperation at her side.

At the same time Yui idly noticed that her Papa's playful question seemed to have not only shattered the tense atmosphere but it also seemed to have apparently lifted a heavy weight from her Onee-chan's mind, the petit [Rook] appearing more at ease now than moments earlier.

Dedicating part of her mind to pondering upon Koneko's apparent uneasiness regarding her feline form, and another to following her three family members good natured chatter, Yui simultaneously analyzed her father's body so that to ensure he was truly fine.

Her scan only proved what she had already known; Asia had healed his body completely, not even the smallest sign of the damage taken remaining. But at the same time, now that he was awake and his brain active was back in full swing, she could also confirm something that she had only gotten an inkling before.

Something had changed within her Papa's body, an incredibly small, but still undeniable change had somehow happened. She could not truly define what it was, her vocabulary being unable to truly express what she was seeing, but she could tell it was there.

The best description she could give was that something that had always been there, while at the same time somehow not truly being there at all, was now partially missing, and yet it's apparent absence was not only not having any apparent detrimental effects, it had apparently enable his earlier transformation.

And that unknown worried her, especially considering what she had briefly felt moments before her Papa's actions in the earlier struggle, what she had detected as he underwent his transformation.

She had felt it for but a brief moment amidst the chaos of the battle, a sudden flash of awareness that had disappeared almost instantly, but even if it had been shrouded by the clashing maelstrom of powers being thrown all around the school grounds, there was simply no way she could be mistaken, for she would recognize that particular signature anywhere.

And at the very moment when her father had transformed into his alternated state she had felt it, she was sure of it.

'_Enquire: What are you planning, Grandfather?'_

* * *

Sitting upon the living room of the manor her family had acquired for her stay in the city, Argo couldn't help but blink in bemusement, clearly caught off guard by what she was witnessing, by the unexpected situation that had literally knocked on her door.

She prided herself on her far reaching knowledge, on her ability to dig information up and foresee what was about to happen so that she could plan accordingly. It was part of her heritage as a Dantalion and she took great pride upon it.

That also meant that she was not easily surprised, more often than not having seen whatever strange occurrence that would happen long before it could actually surprise her, and planned accordingly to deal with it with minimal fuss.

It was a very useful skill to cultivate, even if she sometimes felt that it left most things feeling a little stale and dull, a little too predictable for her tastes.

That was the main reason why she had actually come to treasure the rare occasions when such things managed to slip past her notice and actually catch her off guard, to actually surprise her, believing them to give a little spice to life, allowing things to be far more interesting in the long run.

And as such she took a moment to truly savor the current situation, the fact that it had been Rias dear little [Pawn] of all people to catch her on the back foot only making it all the more amusing and enjoyable in her eyes.

Trading a bemused look with Hikari, she gazed once more back at her visitors, all three of them.

"You know, I may be wrong, but I really don't think that this is how this is supposed to happen." She said playfully, eyes moving from Kiba's sheepish form, to Issei's determined expression and finally to Xenovia's slightly hopeful look.

"I don't think I have ever heard of a case like this actually, after all most Peerages recruit members for their own Peerage, not for that of another [King]."

"Oh common Argo, help us out here! Xenovia has nowhere else to go, and after the way she helped us out against that crazy bastard we can't just leave her by herself! And she is really strong too! Why can't you take her into your Peerage?" Issei passionately exclaimed, not even noticing the small pink tinge his words had provoked upon the former exorcist cheeks.

"Please Argo-san, I would be in your debt." The former exorcist sincerely asked, apparently having already made up her mind due to the [Pawns] influence.

'_It seems you have one more competitor, Rias.'_ Argo thought with bemusement while giving the strong swordswoman determined form an analyzing glance, holding the pros and cons of such a decision in her mind for a moment before a simple fact made her decide.

"Oh why not, at the very least it's bound to be interesting." She cheerfully stated while gesturing for Hikari to go grab her Evil Pieces.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

I wonder how many of you actually figure out that Xenovia would join Argo's Peerage. I was actually planning that from the very start of the story, so I am actually wondering if it was too obvious or not.

Beside that I would like to give you all a fair warning.

From this point onwards this story will be slowly, but surely, entering into AU territory in regards to both "Sword Arts Online" and "High School DxD" original story-lines.

I think some of you may have suspected this would eventually happen due to some of the changes that I've already made in past chapters, and some hints that can be found in those same pages.

The changes to Canon will be gradual, for instance the next arc, that will be 'The Vampire of the Suspended Classroom' from DxD by the way, will receive only minor changes, but future arcs will diverge more and more from Canon ground until we leave it behind completely.

You have been warned.

In a separate note, I'm starting a pool regarding what to do with the 'Caliber' arc from SAO.

For those who don't know, it's an very funny arc in which the SAO cast goes to a secret dungeon in Jötunheimr while playing ALO in search of the game strongest sword, the Holy Sword Excalibur!

As you can probably imagine, such a quest could lead to some extremely hilarious situations, especially since the whole gang just dealt with the Excalibur Fragments in real life. The problem is that while it would be extremely funny, the ideas I have for the arc don't really have any impact to the overall plot of DAO, or really affect the rest of the story.

So I'm giving you all three options to choose from in regards to what to do pertaining the 'Caliber' arc:

1)To write it as a proper DAO arc, it would be the next arc right after Gasper's arc.

2)To write it as a series of side stories in DAOffline.

3)To forget about it, and only mention it in passing in the story.

The pool will keep going for the next two updates, so feel free to take your time regarding your answers.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.


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